While most people are aware that not all college students can afford a meal plan, not everyone realizes just how prevalent food insecurity is on college campuses, specifically at NC State. According to a survey conducted in October 2017, approximately 14% of our students experienced low or very low food security within the previous month. Even for those who can afford to buy an adequate amount of food, the food they have access to might be lacking in its variety of nutrients or may not be culturally appropriate.

Fortunately, NC State takes measures to address food insecurity, with the Feed the Pack food pantry available to students, as well as the Pack Essentials program, which provides assistance with purchasing food as well as other essentials such as household supplies to students in need. While Pack Essentials is a wonderful program and reflects NC State’s growing awareness of and willingness to take action on issues related to food insecurity, the program is not always accessible given the unique needs of all students.

Currently, the food pantry is only open from Monday through Friday, 12-6 p.m. While this is certainly a convenient time for some students, and it’s very helpful that the pantry is open five days a week, these limited hours can create a barrier in accessing the pantry. It’s no secret that the average college student is very busy between jobs, classes, internships and extracurriculars.

Because of this, students often don’t have the time needed to visit the pantry during the day. The logistics of trying to pick up food and carry it with them, especially if a student has somewhere to go after visiting the food pantry, could present a challenge. Also, some students, especially those who are visiting the pantry for the first time, might feel uncomfortable walking in or out of the food pantry in front of people, especially if they are carrying food.

Nontraditional students in particular might have additional logistical issues with picking up food. About 52% of nontraditional students also live at or near the poverty line. Even for those who do not meet the criteria for being nontraditional students, some students might live with their parents, live far from campus or otherwise have a difficult time driving to the food pantry.

When a student is trying to juggle multiple responsibilities, it can be very difficult to make it to the food pantry during these limited hours, especially if a student lacks access to transportation or is not able to take time off from work to visit the pantry.

To make the food pantry more accessible to students, Feed the Pack should extend their hours, possibly to include mornings and some evenings. This would allow for students who have obligations during the day or who are unable to conveniently visit the food pantry during the day to pick up food at a time that works for them. Also, students with families might benefit from evening hours outside of work and school days.

In order to conveniently serve the needs of all students, Feed the Pack should make it easier for all students to access the pantry, which means taking the diverse and flexible schedules of the student body into consideration.