Robert Morris University opened a new food pantry to help hungry students and foster a closer community, the school said.
Funded through donations by Robert Morris University staff, the market at the university's main campus in downtown Chicago operates on a point system that is available to all students and replenishes at the start of a new month. The exact details and operations remain a work in progress, but the goal is to destigmatize food insecurity at a school where nearly 40 percent of students said they struggled to find enough to eat.
"The point system seemed like a fair and equitable way to divvy up the food," Amy Dolhay, a professor at RMU, said. "If you are a current student, you have access."
Food insecurity is an issue for college students throughout the city, according to Jim Conwell of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Currently, the organization has a relationship with all seven city colleges to provide students with basic access to food.
"There is a need for food security for college students," said Conwell, a spokesman for the depository. "There are students coming from generational poverty and don’t have that safety net. They might even have kids of their own."
RMU officials recently received the first food order and have stocked shelves at an old conference room that sits near the student center. To incorporate greater participation throughout the student body, the marketplace is being staffed by student volunteers.
Basic items like granola bars, fruit and easily prepared meals cost around 1 point. Each student was given 1 point at the beginning of the month, with reduced summer attendance allowing the university to experiment with different items to gauge popularity.
And university officials believe one less thing for students to worry about could help them succeed in the classroom.
"I've worked here a long time, and a lot of students don’t even have breakfast. And they aren’t even being productive in class because they are hungry," said Sandy Grice, a student services coordinator.
