Hunger isn't quiet: the impact of food banks

The food pantry at the Diversity Club at Rose State. (Photo by: Valerie Scott)

By Valerie Scott
News Editor

On Rose State campus, there are more students facing food insecurity than the public or fellow students are aware. With rising food and gas prices matched with housing and car market inflation, wallets aren’t stretching the way they used to. For college students who are also responsible for educational expenses, it can easily become difficult to keep food on the table.

Oklahoma isn't the only state facing inflation right now, America as a whole is struggling to keep its citizens fed. In 2021, 53 million Americans accessed food banks, according to Feeding America (2022). That’s 1 in 5 size Americans.

Adrien Brewer, a fine arts major, shared some of her own experiences with benefiting from food programs. “When I was in high school I was in the backpack meal program,” Brewer said. “They would put things like peanut butter, mac and cheese - lots of food that you could just add water to.”

When a child struggles with food insecurity, this can create a ripple effect later in life as an adult. “I grew up in a situation where money was tight,” Brewer said. “If I have the means to, I would love to help others who are also in that type of situation. I think compassion like that is a beautiful thing.”

Rose State campus offers a food pantry and sack lunches for any and all students. The program began in 2018 with Dr. Monique Bruner as the head of operations. Located inside the University Center, students can pick from the selection of frozen foods, canned goods, toiletries (including diapers), premade lunches, snacks, school supplies and household items such as cups and bowls.

Eliana Williams, a fine arts major, and Dustyn Guzman, a psychology major, are the front office
aids at the Diversity Center. (Photo by: Valerie Scott)

Eliana Williams, fine arts major, and Dustyn Guzman, psychology major, are the people who will greet you at the doors of the University Center. Students must first sign in using their name and student ID. After this, students are allowed a certain amount of food per day. The diversity group also has a clothing donation program where students are allowed to select five items per category, including shoes and office wear.

“Our clothing closet is also great because we are able to help students who have an interview or if they just need a jacket,” Williams said. “We get several donations to our closet.” The student-run diversity club has recently implemented toiletries and healthcare products to the campus bathrooms. “We also go around campus and stalk up the bathrooms with tampons, pads, condoms, perfumes, and lotions,” Williams said. “Twice a month we get food and supply trucks that come in so we’re always stalked on our items.”

Outside of Rose State, there are several local food pantries as well. For those who live close to campus, Midwest City has a Mid-Del Food Pantry on Midwest Boulevard and Reno Avenue. This pantry is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Unfortunately, food insecurity has been a conversation several kept in the dark. However, there are a couple of options to help out when facing the struggle of keeping yourself, and possibly your family fed as well.