SIU-Carbondale is joining hundreds of other schools across the country to ensure they're meeting the nutritional needs of students.
The Saluki Food Pantry will open on Monday, the first day of the fall semester.
SIU-C sustainability coordinator Geory Kurtzhals says a study in the fall of 2013 showed 31.6 percent of students on the Carbondale campus were food insecure.
"Where you have students who have to make a decision between purchasing food and other necessities as a student, whether it's books, or paying for housing, electricity, that sort of thing. Any student who's currently enrolled can go to the food pantry and there's just a small amount of paperwork to fill out, a form to fill out, and then students can come pick up food, once a month. The food that they receive is a quantity that's good for about three days."
Donations are being sought to fill the shelves. Since there is no refrigeration in the pantry yet, non-perishable items are suggested, including soup, beans, canned fruit and vegetables as well as peanut butter and cereal. Volunteers are needed to stock shelves and distribute the items. For more information, email foodpantry@siu.edu.
The Saluki Food Pantry will be open Mondays from 3-6 p.m. and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the lower level of the Student Center.
