Seawolf Food Pantry logo. Image courtesy of Seawolf Food Pantry.
The Seawolf Food Pantry provides food to Seawolves in need – no questions asked. The pantry is located on the second floor of the Professional Studies Building in room 212. Students can find canned fruits and vegetables, breakfast products, boxed meals, and other items to help stock their pantries for themselves and up to three others.
According to the pantry website, it was established “to help the nearly 45% of UAA students who are experiencing some type of food insecurity.”
To access the pantry, students simply need to show up during open times – subject to change each semester and listed on the pantry’s website – and show their student ID to a pantry staff member, who will help them gather the items they need. At the time of writing, the pantry’s hours have not been updated for the spring semester.
In an interview with The Northern Light, pantry director Amanda Walch said that “the only requirement we have [for students to come to pantry] is that you’re a UAA student.”
Walch explained that the process is easy and discreet, and that the ‘no-questions-asked’ approach allows students to avoid feelings of embarrassment that might come with using the pantry.
The best way to volunteer for the pantry, said Walch, is to participate in food drives supporting the pantry. And the staff in charge have created a “template” that can be used by parties interested in running a food drive of their own.
“Food drives help immensely,” said Walch.
“We love food drives because it saves us a ton of money. It all goes out to the students.”
Students interested in working for the pantry can find more information at the Center for Community Engagement and Learning website – that organization is responsible for hiring students to the pantry.
The pantry’s current space in the Professional Studies Building is small and out of the way – a problem that Walch said is being addressed. The pantry has secured a bigger space in the same building that is currently being cleaned out and outfitted.
Walch said that the new space is expected to open in the fall of this year. With the change, Walch said that students can look forward to “a bigger, better food pantry” that will “hopefully” have expanded hours.
Students can find information about the pantry’s hours, current fundraisers, and other important information via the Seawolf Food Pantry website or flyers posted around campus.
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