Editor’s note: It’s Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week (November 17-23). Please join FRCC as we come together to draw attention to food insecurity—and work on finding effective solutions for our communities.
Collective Colorado estimates that up to 48% of college students in Colorado have faced food insecurity within the last year. Almost half of our students statewide have had to question if they will be able to eat enough this week.
Sadly, attempting to keep up with your classes while you don’t know where your next meal will come from is a daunting reality for many of our students.
My Experience With Hunger
My name is Ella Kohrmann, and I happen to be one of those students. I am 20 years old and this is my third year studying and working at FRCC’s Larimer campus.
I myself am no stranger to food insecurity. As a child there were times when my family relied heavily on the food bank to make up for what we couldn’t afford.
Doing Something to Help
This is why, when I came to FRCC and heard we had a campus food pantry, I applied to be a work study as fast as I could. In my time on campus I have learned so much about our community and the lives of the people in it.
Working at the pantry, I have become exponentially more connected with my peers and their needs. The most valuable thing I’ve learned is that there’s more that brings us together than what we assume divides us. Today I’d like to take the time to tell you about some of my most insightful experiences running a college campus food pantry.
Fighting Hunger on Campus
The Wolf Pantry offers free food assistance for students, faculty, instructors and staff at all three FRCC campuses. We are available to all students and employees regardless of income.
Founded by Mary Hill in 2014, the pantry at the Larimer Campus has changed and grown a lot throughout the years. Our pantry stocks a variety of food items such as peanut butter, canned goods, bread, frozen items, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The type of food available varies depending on food deliveries and donations, but there will always be something available even if it’s just rice and beans.
As the pantry manager I’m in charge of overseeing our stock, keeping the pantry clean and organized, as well as going to the food bank every Friday to pick up more food. A few coworkers and I take turns manning the front desk while we are open.
A Resource for Our College Community
As shoppers come into the pantry, I answer questions and often have friendly conversations. I’ve grown very close with many of our regular shoppers and have thoroughly enjoyed hearing their stories. There are shoppers that rely heavily on us, and others that simply benefit from having more options than they can afford otherwise.
With almost 800 shoppers in our system now, we serve a very diverse population. I see many young adults like myself, and I also see many older students. I’ve even met a few students that are stuck living in their car.
A Growing Need
Many of our shoppers have families to support as well. In fact, 80% of our students take classes part time—because many of them are working to support themselves, and often their family, on top of school.
When you take into account how inflation has skyrocketed and how governmental assistance programs like SNAP have faced defunding, it becomes clear why food insecurity keeps growing as it has.
Now more than ever our community needs help. It’s up to us to help one another, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity I have had to do so at the Wolf Pantry.
Serving the Underserved
Another thing I’ve observed in my time working at FRCC is the adverse effect food insecurity has on marginalized communities. People of color, as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community, are twice as likely to experience food insecurity and homelessness.
One of our regular shoppers happens to be in the process of getting his green card. He and his family came to the US in search of opportunity and community. He even brought his daughters into the pantry one time; such a sweet family.
During one of his visits he told me that he could not apply for food assistance like SNAP because it could put his green card at risk. I was shocked at first. If it weren’t for the Wolf Pantry, this family would have to choose between proper nutrition and their citizenship. That’s a situation that no one should have to be in.
A Benefit for Everyone
I’ve met shoppers of just about every race, color, gender, and identity you can think of. The conversations I’ve had have changed the way I look at our society forever.
As a society we so often separate ourselves from those we see as different. I think if we all took the time to have a conversation with someone we subconsciously label as different, we would notice that there’s more that brings us together than what we assume divides us.
Facing Challenges Together
That is what gives me hope for our community and our world. There truly is more that brings us together than what we assume divides us. It just comes down to being able to recognize that in the stories of strangers.
When our community faces threats like food insecurity and homelessness it is our duty as fellow humans to take action. I’ve seen firsthand what we can do when we come together as a community, so let’s make it happen.
If you are ready to take action, volunteer your time, donate what you can, connect and support the community, and remember there’s more that brings us together than what we assume divides us.
Join Us
Last year, FRCC’s Wolf Pantries served 1,158 unique users and welcomed 755 new users, resulting in 7,928 visits. We distributed an impressive 68,187 pounds of food and facilitated 94 trips to food banks to meet our community’s needs.
If you’d like to get involved in the work of the Wolf Pantries, volunteers and donations are always welcome.
