SJSU Food Pantry Going Strong After Full Month

SAN JOSE, CA — It's hard to feed your head if your stomach is hungry.

That's the takeaway when San Jose State University decided to open the Spartan Food Pantry in March as the first full service, staffed, walk-in pantry offering perishable goods, fresh produce, and refrigerated goods.

This is no closet with a few shelves of food. The Spartan pantry spans 1,000 feet, helping to support 1,800 visits from hungry students between March 25 and April 2, senior student affairs case manager Ben Falter indicated. That's 20 people per hour in the first week. Half of those visits represent "unique" visits, which means new students.

"When I began my career in higher education, I wasn't expecting this," Falter said, whose master's degree focuses on a student affairs. Equity and inclusion has remained a big priority for Falter through the years.

It's easy to see he genuinely cares about the student body. He has been troubled at the notion of witnessing students going to college in one of the most expensive areas to live and having to compromise and make tough decisions that directly affect their livelihoods.

"If they have to choose to pay rent or to pay for food, they will choose the rent and end up with cheaper food," he said.

Falter's stark observation hit a critical note when he became aware a student was "splitting a granola bar" for meals.

As part of the "SJSU cares" campaign, the university has surmised through a survey that 20- to 40 percent of college students nationwide suffer from food insecurity, which means the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Surveys indicate 20 to 40% of college Data from2018 shows that 42.6% of SJSU Spartans experience food insecurity.

Following the formation of a Student Hunger Committee, an Economic Crisis Response Team
was created in 2015 to provide a coordinated response to students experiencing an unforeseen economic crisis impacting their ability to be a successful student. SJSU Cares started a monthly mobile food pantry, Just In Time, in 2016.

Still, the need for a staffed walk-in food pantry open multiple hours was remained on the table.

The requirements to use the pantry include:

• Enrollment as an SJSU student
• Carrying a Tower ID Card & reusable grocery bags
• Earns a gross annual income of $33,385 or less

Fiscal donations can be made online at http://giving.sjsu.edu/. The pantry will also accept meals to microwave and other suggested donated items such as toiletries. The guidelines are listed at https://tinyurl.com/donate2sfp.

The Spartan Food Pantry is open 25 hours a week on Monday and Tuesday afternoons and surrounding midday Wednesday through Friday.

More information can be found at sjsu.edu/spartanfoodpantry.