![乔Hardenbrook]()
Director of 图书馆 Services 乔Hardenbrook '17
When Carroll 工作人员 working inside the university’s 图书馆 noticed student workers skipping meals, 他们问为什么, learning that some were going without food when meal plans run out. They combatted the problem by creating an in-house food share program—now named Carroll’s Cupboard—that is expanding to serve a wider population of students this year.
“What we have heard is that students do not have enough swipes to make it for the semester and so they either ask other students to give them some of their swipes or they eat only one meal per day,特里萨·巴里说, Ph.D., Vice President of 学生生活, who announced the initiative to Carroll’s faculty and 工作人员 during a recent gathering. She said the university has heard from supervisors, 工作人员, and faculty that some students have food insecurity issues.
Such concerns are not an issue at Carroll alone. 据巴里说, national statistics from the USDA suggest that about 27% of all college students have food insecurity issues. Carroll has not yet done a survey of its own students so data is not available for the university to understand the scope of food insecurity here.
说巴里, “学生们将有饭吃, which I think will help with everything from staying attentive in classes to being able to sleep better at night because they won’t be hungry.”
乔·哈登布鲁克，MLS, M.Ed. ’17, 图书馆事务总监, first came up with the idea for Carroll’s Cupboard in considering ways to help student workers maintain a more consistent diet by making food readily available. He said 图书馆 工作人员 rolled out the project initially at the start of the 2018-2019 spring semester and then considered possible needs among the wider student population.
Staff repurposed a book tower in the 图书馆's first-floor computer area, 哈登布鲁克说的, 捐款神奇地出现了. We’ve gotten a lot of great stuff from students that they have brought over.” The program promotes a “take what you need, give what you can” philosophy with students.
“The 图书馆 tends to be a place where students congregate and feel welcome,” Hardenbrook said. “We wanted to promote food share as a judgment-free zone.”
He said in promoting the idea to students, the university does not use the term “food pantry" because “Like it or not, there can be some negative connotations. We’re letting students know if you’re hungry and you’re busy and don’t have time to get something between classes, 你可以用这个.”
Hardenbrook added, “We’re here to care about our students. If you’re not living a life of wellness it’s hard to be successful academically.”
As word of the 图书馆’s efforts spread, 工作人员 started a collaboration with 学生生活 and the Office of 精神生活 to promote the 图书馆 location but to also provide a second location for Carroll’s Cupboard inside the campus’s Student Involvement Center. 学生 do not have to ask for help if they are in need of food. They are able to access both locations on their own with no questions asked.
Hardenbrook said items that move fast with students are granola bars, single-serving packages of nuts, 水果杯, and individual serving items such as cups of mac and cheese and Cup Noodles soups. Canned items do not move as fast and perishable items are not accepted as donations. 学生 are looking for ready-to-eat items, he said, “where you don’t need to cook anything.”
Hardenbrook noted that the project has also attracted other items that might be useful to students such as toothbrushes, 牙膏, 洗衣粉, 和卫生棉条. 随着项目的发展, Carroll will be checking inventory at the end of each semester to see if there are any items that students didn’t use that could still be valuable to the Food Pantry of 沃基肖 County.
牧师. 伊丽莎白E.P. 麦考德, Carroll’s chaplain and director of 精神生活, has been named as the university’s official coordinator of the Carroll’s Cupboard program.
“It’s an opportunity for our Carroll community to practice our ethos of stewardship, 想想我们所拥有的, 我们需要什么, and how we can do more to share,”她说。.
校友 or community members wanting to help supply food or items for the cupboard may donate money online toward purchases online. Select Carroll’s Cupboard in the drop-down of donation selections.
Give to Carroll's Cupboard Today