Ryan Wood, a UNC senior, once faced a difficult choice between being exhausted the next day or stealing dinner from the communal refrigerator. "I was so hungry at times," he said, "that I couldn't sleep." But now, he volunteers at the Bear Pantry, UNC's food bank for students, and is still a client himself. Many UNC students face food insecurity, with 57% reporting it in a survey.

UNC Takes a Stand Against Student Hunger

Addressing Student Hunger at UNC

UNC hopes to address student hunger by opening a new Center for Student Well Being at the start of the spring semester. This will triple the size of the Bear Pantry and help students find other resources like federal food benefits. The survey suggests that a majority of UNC students don't always have access to food or rely too much on cheap food options.

Reasons for student hunger vary widely. Ryan Wood, for example, doesn't have a car and relies on UNC's meal plan. Grocery stores are scarce around UNC, and he doesn't have the money for delivery or rides. Freddie Horn, who runs the pantry, tries to make students feel welcome. "Sometimes they just want to stop in and say hello," he said.

A national crisis is at hand. Student hunger isn't just a UNC problem; CSU estimates that more than 40% of its students face food insecurity. The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education has recognized this issue, and data shows that about 23% of college students experienced food insecurity in 2020.

The Bear Pantry's Impact

The Bear Pantry goes beyond supplying food. Horn teaches students how to shop, keep food fresh, and use healthy recipes. Taylor Schiestel was hired to oversee the pantry after learning about its expansion. She believes that students shouldn't have to struggle with hunger and that the university's care is an act of love.

Student retention rates improve when students thrive. Hunger can affect a student's ability to focus, sleep, and work out, which can lead to lower grades and dropout rates. UNC is trying to keep costs affordable and provide support to students.

The Cost of College and Hunger

The high cost of education and housing is part of the problem. Michael Buttram, CSU's basic needs manager, admits that when students go hungry, it's partly because of these costs. But the best work is around food insecurity. CSU has a mobile food pantry, a meal program, and other initiatives to help students.

The pandemic gave higher education the opportunity to act. Programs like Rams Against Hunger and the meal swipe card program have continued to help students. Buttram encourages students to think of reducing food waste as a way to help.

Reducing Stigma

The new Bear Pantry will be in a visible location at UNC to reduce stigma. The Center for Student Well Being will help students navigate resources and apply for emergency support funds. Many students qualify for SNAP but don't enroll.

Buttram encourages students to think of reducing food waste as a way to help. Horn makes eye contact with every student to make them feel seen. As a society, we waste 40% of the food we create, and the pantry is trying to reduce that.