Boise State University’s Campus Food Pantry is working to ensure students can focus on their studies without worrying about their next meal. Staff say demand has grown significantly in recent years, with about 15% of the student body now relying on the pantry.
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Aurelia Odell, a second-year criminal justice student, not only volunteers to stock the shelves, she has experienced visiting the pantry herself.
“College is expensive. It was my first year. It’s hard to balance suddenly going to classes and just trying to afford those necessities,” Odell said. “Through kind of word of mouth, and just the [welcoming] environment that’s created at the pantry, I felt comfortable to come and take the things that I needed.”
Last school year, students visited the pantry more than 44,000 times. The pantry provides fresh vegetables, pasta, and hygiene products. It's these resources that staff say relieve stress for students already facing financial challenges.
“The food just flies off our shelves,” said Crystal Galea’i, the project and operations coordinator for the food pantry in the Dean of Students office.
Galea’i said she regularly meets students who describe the pantry as essential. One student, a single mother, visits weekly to help feed her family while finishing her degree.
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The pantry’s efforts are supported by community partners, including City of Good, the Idaho Food Bank, Rolling Tomato, local grocery stores, and student organizations.
With monetary donations, the pantry has also expanded beyond inexpensive staples such as ramen noodles to provide more nutrient-dense foods.
The food pantry accepts donations year-round.
