Surviving on Ramen: Addressing Students’ Food Insecurity

College students face many challenges on a daily basis: juggling school and work, seemingly endless hours of reading and assignments, commitment to organizations, and managing their social life.  Many students are also facing much more urgent issues, including not having enough food to eat.  Nearly every college student has lived off ramen noodles at some point in their collegiate career, but for some struggling students, it is the only option available.

California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) has decided to address food insecurity among students by creating the university’s first food pantry.  The DEN (Delivering Emergency Nourishment) strives to address campus hunger for students to promote student success, retention and graduation.  Enrolled students are welcome to come to the food pantry as often as needed to receive bags of food and hygiene items.  Additionally, The DEN serves as a resource to help students find long-term aid from off-campus food banks and other assistance programs.

Providing free food for students is outside of the university’s budget, so a coalition of campus and community partners have come together to stock and staff The DEN.  Partnerships with Helping Hands Pantry (www.helpinghandspantry.org), CSUSB student government, faculty/staff donations and student organization food drives have put food on the shelves.  Student volunteers, including nutrition, social work and psychology students, assist with the student intake process, while volunteers in other majors prepare the food bags for distribution.  Key academic and student affairs staff provide student referrals to The DEN, including student services offices, academic advisors, the Ombuds office, TRIO programs, Campus Recreation and offices in the student union.  The Office of Community Engagement secured an office space for The DEN and coordinates its operations.  The campus mascot, Cody Coyote, served as the inspiration for the food pantry’s name and participated in the ribbon cutting and campus-wide food drive to stock the shelves.

The DEN is more than just a food pantry for students in need; it serves as a visible reminder of the university’s commitment to student success.  The food pantry also offers opportunities to engage in civic education, including knowledge about homelessness, hunger and government/nonprofit programs.  Volunteers practice the skills necessary to participate in public action and develop dispositions of responsible citizenship and respect for human dignity.

For more information about The DEN, please visit our website at:

http://engage.csusb.edu/TheDENFoodPantry.htm