by Christi Mathis
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The 2023-2024 academic year was a record-breaker for the Saluki Food Pantry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, so a food drive is underway to ensure the pantry can continue to provide assistance to students in times of need, thus assuring they can focus on meeting their educational goals.
Nearly 20,000 food items were distributed to 549 students throughout the course of the school year, said Emily Spann, associate director of the Student Center, where the pantry is housed on the lower level. She said items were collected during the summer to restock shelves, but already, during the first three days the pantry was open this fall, pantry staff assisted 43 students.
Donations welcome at Student Center
Donations of a wide variety of nonperishable food items are welcome to help Salukis. Drop off donations in the Student Center administrative office, located on the second floor, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Or email foodpantry@siu.edu to arrange for pickup of a larger donation or if your organization is willing to coordinate a food drive to benefit the pantry.
Supplies of these items are particularly low:
- Beans (kidney, refried, black, chili, etc.)
- Macaroni and cheese
- Spaghetti or tomato sauce
- Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, fettucine)
- Canned meat (chicken, tuna)
- Canned meals (SpaghettiOs, chili, beef stew, etc.)
- White rice
- Ramen noodles (chicken, beef, shrimp)
- Peanut butter
- Snacks (granola bars, trail mix, chips, etc.)
- Breakfast items (oatmeal, cream of wheat, breakfast bars, etc.)
Monetary donations are also appreciated and can be made by clicking on the “online giving” tab on the website.
The Saluki Food Pantry has served thousands of students since it opened in the fall of 2016 in response to research studies and polls that indicated as many as one-third of college students were “food insecure” in that they were unable to obtain an adequate amount of food and sufficient nutrition at any given time.
Students visiting the Saluki Food Pantry receive enough food at no cost for each family member residing in their household to eat for about three days.