Morgan State University (MSU) students who are hungry or food insecure will have a new hub to receive food resources and education around healthy food-related strategies this December.
The campus Food Resource Center (FRC) – housed in the Morgan Business Center – opens on Dec. 7, offering students canned soups, vegetables, meats, boxed meals, cereal, snacks and more. The center’s launch comes after university-wide surveys found that 68 percent of MSU students identified as food insecure and 71 percent of students reported skipping meals because of a limited food supply.
“Food insecurity is a big issue on college campuses across America, often becoming a critical barrier to student success,” MSU president Dr. David Wilson said in announcing the Food Resource Center. “So I’m pleased to see the level of engagement from our student leaders in identifying this need and bringing it to the attention of the administration along with a plan of action.”
The Food Resource Center plans to distribute food to students every first Friday of the month between 3 and 6 p.m. during the school year. Students only need their BEARcard student I.D. to access the center.
If the center sees a higher demand, the frequency of food distribution will increase, said Dr. Kevin Banks, vice president for student affairs at MSU.
Banks noted that FRC organizers consist of five to six student and staff volunteers who came up with the idea for the center after similar Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief efforts last year.
“We organized a food drive last year with perishable items. We sent it to [Houston] and the Virgin Islands,” Banks said, noting that students loved the food drive idea.
