FILE - California State University, Bakersfield debuted its food pantry for students and staff who may experience food insecurity Sept. 18, 2017. (KBAK/KBFX photo)
One year ago, California State University, Bakersfield opened a food pantry on campus with the hopes of feeding 100 students a week.
Now, the CSUB Food Pantry serves an average of 195 students weekly. In the past year, some 1,395 total students have received food more than 5,600 times.
“The CSUB Food Pantry fulfills a basic need for our students by providing food and other items,” CSUB Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Thomas Wallace said in a news release. “I am overjoyed at how the CSUB campus and the Bakersfield community responded to our request to help the students. It exemplifies the caring spirit we all have come to expect and love about Bakersfield.”
The CSUB Food Pantry has partnered with Haggin Oaks Farmers Market, the Apple Core Project and Kaiser Pemanente to bring surplus fruits and vegetables to the school’s Pop-Up Produce Pantry after the farmers market closes.
Community Action Partners of Kern (CPAK) is another partner that provides food for the pantry, through the monthly USDA Food Distribution program.
“We are so fortunate to live in this community,” Ilaria Pesco, executive director for Associated Students, Inc., said in the news release. “Since the beginning, the residents of Bakersfield and the faculty and staff on campus have donated generously. We have received over 15,000 in-kind donations of food.”
The panty is open 27 hours a week and is available to students, faculty and staff.
