As the giant gold scissors snipped the red ribbon on Aug. 28, the new Bulldog Pantry opened its doors to students across campus who need groceries.
The opening ceremony was held outside the Bulldog Pantry which is located in room 115 of the David L. Eisler Center. The ceremony addressed the issue of food insecurities with college students and how important it is to serve students their basic needs for them to succeed and thrive on campus. The new pantry was made accessible to all students so that they could stop in to pick up small groceries, and other necessities, without having to show a financial need.
The pantry started in the United Methodist Church Wesley House in Big Rapids. Before the pantry had a much bigger room to store more food, it simply had smaller stations in the West Campus Community Center, Wesley House and the DEC. However, those stations were rarely used. With the new Bulldog Pantry in a busy section of the DEC, students can easily access it during the weeks.
Vice President of Diversity Dr. David Pilgrim talked in his speech about how food insecurity impacts students.
“Food insecurity rates are strikingly high on college campuses, with as many as one in four students experiencing not having access to sufficient food or food of adequate quality to meet their basic needs,” Pilgrim said. “Food insecurity heightens stress and depression and makes it difficult to concentrate. It’s hard to study when you’re hungry or worried about not having enough food. This pantry sends a message to our students, you belong here, and we care about you more than just providing meals, it offers a lifeline that supports students in staying on track to complete their degrees and achieve their goals.”
Pre-med senior Donna Williams attended the ceremony with a friend.
“It’s great that Ferris is focusing on their students’ health and well-being just as much as academics,” Williams said. “I think it’s convenient being a college student is really financially stressful, so being able to go there to get food that you need when you need it, is going to be very very nice.”
It does not have to stop at simply opening a new space, others can do their part by donating to the pantry as well.
President Bill Pink provided information on how many people can do their part.
“If they let us know if they contact the university, contact people like Maggie Walcott, [the chair of the BBNA and assistant to Pink], or even Lina Blair, [dean of Student Life], and saying ‘Hey look, I’m interested,’ then they can email us and we can work directly with them to say ‘okay, at what level do you want to be a partner with us?’” Pink said. “It may just be a one-time donation or an ongoing donation. This gives us a catalyst for those kinds of donations to come in, to be helpful to our students.”
The Bulldog Pantry’s opening hours are Sunday through Thursday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and is open to all Ferris State students.