By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
During its annual Griffs Giving Day last month, Missouri Western State University raised money to help several different programs.
One important effort the funds helped was the on-campus food pantry, which helps students who battle food insecurity get the meals they need while on campus.
President Elizabeth Kennedy says living in a time of food insecurity the food pantry is vitally important because of how it trickles down to students
“Our campus has free, we stock it with nutritious food, we have fresh, we have more canned and longer shelf items, but it keeps our students healthy, they don’t have to worry about a meal, it’s very easy for them to come in and get, so I appreciate that,” Kennedy says on the KFEQmunnity show.
Kennedy says for nearly a decade the pantry has existed and has grown in helping students get the healthy food they might need while in St. Joseph.
Kennedy says the pantry helps students have access to food in an easy way and with no stigma attached
“We’re not doing anything like that, it’s like come in and grab what you need,” Kennedy explains. “We’ve got fresh produce, those kinds of things, we’ve got frozen items, we’ve got canned things, and we try to keep it healthy because it’s important.”
MoWest is also tackling food insecurity in other ways as well. Kennedy points out students through the Center for Service, help out at places such as Second Harvest Community Food Bank
“Where we’re helping folks in the community who need it, but we also provide that, it really helps people appreciate that we’re here as a family to help everyone,” Kennedy says. “And we’re invested, not only in our students, but in the community.”
Kennedy says in November alone, around 100 students utilized the campus food pantry to get food.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.
