Lehigh University has opened two food pantries to help students and others who may be struggling with food insecurity. The new pantries are part of a university initiative called “A Lehigh for Everyone.”
“There are many causes of food insecurity,” said Lehigh’s vice president for equity and community Donald Outing. “But one thing is clear: we can do something about it for members of our Lehigh community.”
The development of the pantries is an outgrowth of a program begun by staff at Lehigh’s Health & Wellness Center, who began stocking snacks and health-related items for students experiencing food insecurity in the summer of 2022. A university news release said the staff had been assisting students without reliable access to food for some time before that.
To expand the pantry program, Lehigh’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion & Equity applied for funds through Swipe Out Hunger and was awarded $7,000 by the nonprofit for the food pantries that are now located in Johnson Hall on the Asa Packer Campus and Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop Campus.
Swipe Out Hunger, a national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger, and food service corporation Sodexo, are also partners in the food pantry program, which is available to the Lehigh community as a whole.
“While specifically put in place for the Lehigh community and primarily for students in need, no Lehigh individual who shows up will be turned away,” the news release said.
Each pantry is stocked with healthy and accessible foods, including snack options, small grab-and-go meals and health-related products. Gluten-free, vegan and nut-free options are also available.
“Students will be able to find items at both pantries such as fresh fruit, salad kits & vegetables, tuna, mac and cheese, soups, oatmeal, a variety of granola bars, crackers, trail mix and cereal,” said Yen DeBellis, director of Health Advancement & Prevention Strategies (HAPS) and assistant director of the Health & Wellness Center. “In addition, at Johnson Hall, students will also have access to health items such as hygiene, sexual health and menstrual products, COVID tests, pregnancy tests, first aid kits, Tylenol, Ibuprofen and so much more.”
The Johnson Hall Food Pantry is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the Iacocca Hall Food Pantry is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Students can use their ID cards to gain access to the pantries themselves and the items they offer.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
