By Dylan Morrissette

And I'm not alone. One in five of my University of Oregon classmates are also food insecure, meaning we lack day-to-day access to enough food because of financial pressures like rent, rising college costs, stagnant wages, and rising inequality. As a second-year Environmental Science student, I see food everywhere I go. From dining halls, uneaten food left on restaurant tables, campus catering events, to friends' kitchens, food is always on my mind. Especially the question, "When's my next meal?"

Without money for food, I stress about my weight, and I go to sleep hungry. Without food, I sit in lecture halls with a grumbling stomach and an unfocused mind. I can't afford to eat a balanced, nutritious diet.

Without the fuel in my body to reach my full potential, I feel left behind academically and socially. I can't afford tickets to a Ducks football game or a scoop of ice cream that my friends easily afford.

When I don't have enough money for food, I must find alternative ways to get food. I’ve been to countless campus events promoting “free food” to attract attendees, but I just want their chicken tendees.

“Are you gonna eat that?” is a far too common question in my life. I ask everyone for their leftovers. Many give their food to me. I thank them and dig in. 

The University of Oregon Basic Needs Program in collaboration with Food For Lane County provides valuable resources to improve access to food for students like me. You can find more information at this link.

As a college student facing food insecurity, the most useful campus food resource has been the Student Food Pantry. More than 800 college campuses nationwide offer food pantries as a free resource for college students facing food insecurity. The University of Oregon is the only Big Ten Conference university without an on-campus food pantry.

During academic terms, the Student Food Pantry is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 pm. It’s located just off campus in Grace Lutheran Church on 710 E. 17th Ave. I usually go after my classes because it's quick, easy, and free. After filling out a quick form you can enter the pantry.

The Student Food Pantry will be closed the week of June 17, but it will reopen on June 26 for summer term hours only Wednesdays, 3:30-6:00pm.

When I first learned about this food pantry in February, it was a game-changer for me. In my first visit, I was able to feed myself for weeks, and ever since I have gone to the food pantry almost every week. I'm able to stock my kitchen with canned beans, vegetables, fruits, and fresh dairy - yogurt, milk, and cheese, but also! Meat, produce, and even items like my favorite lime green knit beanie.

Food pantries like this are a win-win for students and the university community. Less food goes to waste, and those who need food can get it. 

Supplies are limited and are based on the honor system, so it’s important to take only what you need. My reliable go-to items include: Canned goods such as beans, chili, vegetables, and fruit. Carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta, and cereal. The fridge section is tough, but I usually take yogurt and a drink for a snack. Limits are placed on high-value items like meat and dairy.

Cost is the main barrier cited by most students facing food insecurity. Living costs like tuition enroll me in classes, and rent keeps a roof over my head. Grocery bills, however, are the most flexible of basic needs, so they may be the first basic need students compromise to make ends meet.

Food insecurity can affect anyone, but college students are affected by more than double the state and national rates. Student poverty conjures a romanticized image of young people away from home for the first time, making do with ramen noodles. The "Ramen Effect" is culturally viewed as a rite of passage in which student poverty is brushed off as normal. It shouldn't have to be this way.

Previous data shows that 1 in 5 students at the University of Oregon face food insecurity, however, more recent data shows this number may be greater than we previously thought.

In 2017, a student thesis paper by Kiara Kashuba got responses from 1,236 University of Oregon students to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity on campus. Kiara discovered that 52% of respondents were food insecure in the last 30 days.

A report from the University of Oregon found that 22.1% of students surveyed in 2020-2021 were food insecure in the academic year). Then in 2022-2023, they found 39.7% of students were food insecure.

Whichever study you believe the most, the fact is, that 22.1%, 39.7%, or 52% of the University of Oregon students face food insecurity. The rates at UO are representative of the data collected nationwide (14-59%).

There are many ways you can help students facing food insecurity. You just read this article and learned about food insecurity, which is the first step so thank you. However, the most effective and quickest way to help is, you guessed it, money.

If you can, donate to Ducks Feeding Ducks. The Ducks Feeding Ducks program provides meals to students who have expressed a need. The program utilizes the Duck Bucks declining balance program by adding $10.00 in Duck Bucks to the student's university ID card to be used to purchase food at any of the campus dining locations. Your donation will go directly into the Duck Bucks account to provide meals to hungry students. Thank you for your generosity!

https://ecommerce.uoregon.edu/order_form/emuid-ducks-feeding-ducks-individual-donations

EDIT 10/16/2024:

With the same hours mentioned earlier, the Student Food Pantry is open for Fall 2024.