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OREM -- It's no secret that it's tough to be in college and make ends meet; it's something many students struggle with.
To help remedy that situation, Utah Valley University opened a new food pantry on campus Friday. It will specifically serve students in need, in cooperation with the Community Action Services and Food Bank of Provo.
"Many studies show that students perform better when they aren't worrying about where their next meal is coming from," said Erica Hone, spokeswoman for Community Action Services. "We know this is a population that is often low on funds."
"They can choose beans, meat, soup, vegetables, fruits," explained SuHyen Perez, with UVU Student Services.
The food pantry is managed by the UVU Student Services program. Students must qualify, and they are required to be enrolled in at least six credit hours and can only share the food with immediate family members.
"It's for students who are facing food insecurity. It's to help with retention numbers, to keep them here at our university so students don't have to feel like they need to take a semester off to make ends meet. They can stay in school, finish school, and become productive members of our community," said Mike Moon, UVU's Volunteer and Service-Learning Center program director.
An ongoing challenge is to keep the shelves filled. Food bank directors say the need is constant for new donations and that is why there are always drives to replenish the warehouse.
"I have heard that from people: ‘There always seems to be a food drive going on.' But the fact is there are always people in need, and when we give them the food we don't get it back," Hone said.
The food pantry gives another option to students who are struggling financially to help them finish their education.
This is the fourth food pantry that is now open on a college campus in Utah.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
