On any given day, LSU students face challenges ranging from cramming for their next exam to making to work on time, but some students may have to work a little harder to feed themselves.
The Washington Post explains that as living and education costs rise, students are suffering from high rates of food insecurity. But the LSU Food Pantry seeks to provide students with this required nutrition at no cost.
The LSU Food Pantry is an organization on campus started in August of 2013 that provides students with access to free food to lessen the cost of living.
Michael Smith, Coordinator for Student Advocacy and Accountability, explains that the Food Pantry is, “An effort in order to provide students who may have issues having enough food to get through the week, month or over the holidays. So that they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from and so that they can focus on their academics.”
Basic foods such as bread, milk, eggs, lunch meat and ramen cost upward of 15 dollars, which is the equivalent of about two hours of work at minimum age. Alyssa Chauviere, an LSU Biology major, explains that groceries are expensive and worrying about food makes it harder for students to focus on their education.
The Food Pantry is only five bookshelves in a storage closet. But, students with an ID can get canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, rice, beans, ramen and much more for free.
Smith explains that students can take as much as they need no questions asked because the organization is based off of the honor system.
The organization has no budget, according to Smith. It runs solely off of donations and volunteers.
The Smith explains that they hope that they hope to turn the organization into a student run group by next year. The LSU Food Pantry is open to anyone who has a student ID and is taking one class.
The Food Pantry has been used 21 times this semester and 124 times since it opened last year, but they hope to expand and partner with the Baton Rouge Food Bank.