As many college campuses closed to slow the spread of COVID-19, educational technology tools quickly enabled teaching and learning to work remotely. However, some campus services haven’t moved online seamlessly. In a recent feature by the University News Center at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a Cal Poly Pomona alumna spoke about what she was doing to ensure students in need don’t go hungry during social distancing.
Last spring, Alyssa Jane Christiansen became the founding coordinator of Poly Pantry, which opened in the Bronco Student Center. But the pantry’s mission to provide food for students got more difficult when COVID-19 prompted the closure of campus facilities.
According to Cal Poly Pomona, Poly Pantry had to suspend its agreement with the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.
“We looked at how to transition from a shopping model to a pre-pack-bag model,” Christiansen told the University News Center. “But if we were to do what community pantries are doing, there would still be some risk because we would be inviting students to campus. Even if we were doing it by appointment, students would still be on campus waiting.”
For now, Poly Pantry and the Broncos Care Program are referring students to community resources, food banks, school-district lunch programs, and meal delivery services that are still open and available for those in need, she said.
The University News Center said that food insecurity has become pervasive on college campuses across the country, and many students are reluctant to ask for help.
A recent study by the University of California and the California State University systems found that 4 in 10 students were not getting enough to eat or were worried about access to food.
At Cal Poly Pomona, nearly 36 percent of students reported food insecurity, and nearly 15 percent reported having been homeless one or more times in the previous 12 months.
“Previously food insecurity was a social justice issue,” Christiansen said. “But now, it is a broader economic issue, with so many students losing jobs. We are anticipating having to scale the program up significantly at our re-opening.”
Click here to read more about the Poly Pantry story.
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