Panther Pantry Feeds Hungry Students

Ari Oxford, staff writer

Food insecurity is an issue that many students face, so PVCC has tried to help alleviate this concern for PVCC students and their families. In M103, next to the Student Financial Resource Centre (SFRC), is the PVCC Panther Pantry.

According to the PVCC website, the pantry’s mission is “The pursuit of knowledge is fueled by nutritious meals. Our mission is to ensure access to free, nutritious food for students that are needy and underserved.”  

The pantry has snacks, basic ingredients like canned beans and fruit, and almost ready-to-eat meals like ramen. The pantry also addresses the issue of students not being able to afford nice clothes for interviews, so it also has shoes, button-down shirts, ties, blouses, and more. 

However, you cannot just walk in. The door to the pantry is locked, so you have to go next door to the SFRC and sign-in for access. Also, be aware that each household will only be allowed access twice a month.   

According to the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness, “48 percent of respondents reported food insecurity in the previous 30 days, including 22 percent with very low levels of food security that qualify them as hungry.”

The Panther Pantry hours of operation:

Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.