Chikayla Bariner is a fourth-year Political Science Major with Minors in Women’s & Gender Studies and Journalism. CB898616@wcupa.edu
West Chester University students do not always anticipate all of the challenges they are likely to face in college, including food insecurity. However, there are campus resources that can assist students in their time of need.
Food insecurity is a term used to describe situations where there is low food intake or inconsistent eating patterns due to lack of money, minimal availability of healthy food and other resources.
When students indicate that they are tired or have been unable to concentrate on their assignments, they often are called lazy or told that they need to work harder. It has been kept out of mind that the reason students are tired, or unable to concentrate on lectures and assignments, might be because they are food insecure.
One in three college students face food insecurity nationally (TheHopeLab). When you read this statistic, consider your social groups, peers and classmates.
Although students who do not have basic needs to support themselves in college are not discussed in daily conversation, it is a reality that many college students face.
On March 31, I interviewed Chyna Hart who works at the West Chester University Resource Pantry as a Graduate Assistant. “We’re in a time and a place where we’re going through a pandemic and everyone needs help in some kind of way,” said Chyna.
The stigma attached to food insecurity exists because it has not been made a priority on college campuses, which reinforce stereotypes that challenge food insecure students’ work ethic.
One step toward lowering the rate of food insecurity on college campuses is to make students more aware of the resources available to them. The West Chester University Resource Pantry, located on the ground floor of Commonwealth Hall, provides easily accessible food. All students are able to access the food from the pantry as long as they are able to show their Ram cards. Services that the pantry provides also include the career closet, winter closet, basic needs items, cooking demonstrations, career readiness workshops, financial literacy workshops, trips to the West Chester Food Bank, which has items that the pantry may not have, and Wings for Success. “Wings for Success is a place where students can get clothing, a lot of professional clothing, nice clothing for galas or anything of that nature,” said Chyna.
Another step toward addressing food insecurity is to eliminate the stigma around it, which can be done through encouraging others to utilize campus resources, rather than making them feel embarrassed to use them. “Funding is low everywhere. People’s hours are getting cut, and I even tell students myself, I use the pantry… Why buy items when you can get them for free?” said Chyna.
While it can be exciting to recognize students for their hard work and accomplishments, it is equally important to consider what steps it took for students to achieve academic success or the lack thereof. The need to address food insecurity among college students is essential, especially in the midst of a pandemic. Everyone can contribute by learning more about the issue, finding out what ways they can help and spread information about resources beneficial for all college students.