Western students fight food insecurity on campus

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ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING (January 17, 2020) – Western Wyoming Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) will be opening a Student StoreHouse for Western students on January 28th, 2020 at 12:30 PM in room 1562.

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The StoreHouse will be an on-campus food pantry that assists students in experiencing hunger or food insecurity. The storehouse will accept donations of non-perishable food items as well as unopened personal hygiene products. These products will be available to our students free of charge. There are no requirements for students to use the storehouse, nor are there limits. If students need something, they are welcome to it.

“Normally, people think that college students only worry about their classes, but for a percentage of students, it is worrying where their next meal will come from. Many of the students are forced to choose between basic necessities such as food or college expenses, and they choose their education. Also, some of Western’s students do not have transportation to and from the local food bank or they are not able to go due to their class schedule. Therefore, by having the Student StoreHouse on campus we can help keep students in school by relieving the pressure of providing food to meet their needs,” stated Rosa Reyna-Pugh SGA member and Western student.

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“As teachers, many of us know our students face financial challenges. When it comes to food, students report they skip meals to pay for books or they prioritize feeding their children instead of themselves. Students often have the best solutions for the problems fellow students face, and with the StoreHouse, they’ve created a way to support each other’s academic success by meeting basic human needs. Most importantly, students are removing shame and stigma from food insecurity. In essays and hallways, students are saying, “Let’s talk about this. Let’s do something. Let’s take care of each other.” I’m so proud of our Western students. Their compassion built the Student StoreHouse and will empower each other to succeed,” stated Jessica Dean, Instructor of English at Western.

To donate items to the Student StoreHouse, please bring them to the Front Desk at Western, located by the main entrance.

For more information on this initiative, please contact Alex Nelson, Western’s Student Life Coordinator at [email protected].

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