Chapman food pantry promotes food accessibility as holidays approach

In order to combat food insecurity, Chapman University’s food pantry, located in Morlan Hall, provides shelf staples, frozen meals and personal hygiene items to all Chapman students. Photo by Chapman University

Images of families gathered with towering plates of traditional meals is an idealistic picture of the holiday season. However, these meals and celebrations aren’t exactly commonplace for approximately 35 million Americans who don’t know where their next meal will come from, a reality often overlooked during the season’s festivities.

Food insecurity only gets worse during the holiday season, and because of the coronavirus pandemic, approximately 50 million people were estimated to have experienced food insecurity in 2020. In Orange County alone, there are more than 450,000 people at risk of going hungry each month. This year, COVID-19-induced unemployment has forced many Orange County residents to choose between paying for food and other necessities like rent or medicine. 

In order to combat food insecurity in the local community, Chapman University’s food pantry, located in Morlan Hall, provides shelf staples, frozen meals and personal hygiene items to all Chapman students who request access through a Google Form provided by the Office of Sustainability. 

Although most food accessibility advocates typically place an emphasis on children, seniors and the working poor, Mackenzie Crigger, Chapman’s energy conservation and sustainability manager, believes also in the importance of food insecurity among college students. 

“Food insecurity for a college population is pretty high and pretty common, and it tends to be the group that is most missed by services like food banks,” Crigger said. “It’s a big issue, and I know no one wants to think about students at Chapman being food insecure because we are portrayed as a fairly affluent place, but you never know what someone’s experience is or what challenges they are facing.”

A 2019 report, based on data from 123 colleges across the United States with nearly 86,000 total student participants, showed that approximately 48% of students in two-year institutions and 41% of students at four-year institutions who responded to the survey experienced food insecurity.

Additionally, students are encouraged to fill out the university’s own food insecurity survey to better assist students struggling with food accessibility. The anonymous survey will remain open until Dec. 14.

“We are trying to measure food insecurity on campus to see if we have the resources on campus to meet the needs of those who really are food insecure,” said Alisa Driscoll, co-chair of the Status of Socioeconomic Stratification within the Chapman Diversity Project Advisory Group. “If we can collect that data, it’ll give us a good idea of where we can improve and what additional services we can provide.”

The food pantry is currently stocked by Second Harvest Food Bank, an Orange County-based nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger. In March, before all classes transitioned to online learning, Crigger said approximately 80 students had access to the food pantry. 

Crigger said that future goals for Chapman’s sustainability department include a new partnership with the Orange farmer’s market to increase stock and the establishment of additional food pantries across Chapman campuses. Annessa Garcia, the Chapman food pantry coordinator, emphasized the office’s goal to provide more resources for the Chapman community and increase accessibility, especially during this year’s holiday season.

“I strive to make sure that students aren't going hungry or sacrificing a meal just to go to school,” Garcia said. “Tuition is expensive, and given the state that we are in, food is the last thing that I would ever want anyone to not have in a day.”

Correction: The Panther was told that students, faculty and staff have access to the food pantry. This incorrect; only students have the opportunity to seek the food pantry’s resources.