The common stereotype of the “struggling college student” often masks a much more serious and systemic reality: a crisis of food insecurity. As part of a new documentary highlighting food insecurity on college campuses, “Hungry to Learn,” Western Illinois University’s Food Pantry, which serves WIU students, faculty and staff will be featured.
“Hungry to Learn” will be available for public screenings in September, including at a location TBD at WIU. DPD Media Solutions visited the WIU-Macomb campus in April to interview staff and students, and to capture footage of Western’s pantry. In addition to filming the pantry and conducting interviews, the film crew joined Pantry Director and Dietetics Professor Emily Shupe’s Nutrition 301 Food Science course to learn more.
Before the WIU Food Pantry officially opened in 2018, Shupe was purchasing food on her own to keep a stockpile in her office for hungry students, and as time went by, she noticed more students were coming in to get food. That set the precedence for the official pantry, which was originally housed in a former ticket booth/concession stand at Hanson Field. The pantry outgrew that location and was moved into Horrabin Hall 10 in October 2020, where it operates from noon-5 p.m., Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays and by appointment. In addition, the pantry sets up tables outside of the pantry that are stocked with a variety of food so students and other members of the University community can have access to items when then pantry isn’t open. The WIU Food Pantry serves 800-1,000 individuals each month.
Shupe’s students run the food pantry as part of a student organization, with assistance from Shupe and pantry co-director Carrie Lowderman of WIU Athletics. The WIU Food Pantry is open to any WIU employee or student, regardless of income.
Food donations can be made by contacting [email protected] or [email protected]. Monetary donations can be made through the WIU Foundation at (309) 2981861 or [email protected]. Food items are purchased from the River Bend Food Bank’s Feeding America program. The food pantry also receives food each month from Midwest Food Bank, along with a grant program through Dot Foods to shop at Dorothy’s Market in Mt. Sterling.
For more information, email [email protected]. For more information on the documentary, visit workinghungry.org
