Carbondale Reporter

Pasta, peanut butter and other nonperishable foods are among the many items needed by Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale’s new Saluki Food Pantry, set to open in the lower level of the Student Center Monday to power students through their studies.

 

Loran Luehr Morris, an SIU graduate student in nutrition and now a registered dietitian — is the lead author of a soon-to-be-published study on Illinois college student “food insecurity,” which included a poll of students from several Illinois universities that found 35 percent of the 1,900 respondents described themselves as "food insecure," or unable to get an adequate amount of food and proper nutrition.

 

Although food insecurity is most commonly found among off-campus dwellers, even those with meal plans still have food issues during breaks between semesters.

 

Nearby residents and the university community can contribute jarred pasta sauce, soup, beans, canned fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, jelly, whole-grain breads, breakfast/protein bars, cereal, hand or body soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, reusable paper or plastic bags, detergent, shampoo/conditioner, and canned meats such as tuna, chicken and ravioli.

 

Initially, the pantry will be open from 3-6 p.m. on Mondays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays. For now, the store will accommodate only dry goods, but officials hope to acquire refrigeration eventually.

 

“Over time, we would like to expand the food pantry’s offerings to include fresh food selections,” Geory Kurtzhals, the university’s sustainability coordinator, said. “In addition, we plan to leverage the extensive knowledge within our institution to improve our food pantry and provide learning opportunities for students.”

 

In 2012, Morris, through a grant, founded the Urbana-based Wesley Foundation Food Pantry, which is now working in tandem with SIU to furnish the Saluki Pantry with much-needed items. Additionally, the university is saving money by repurposing fixtures from a former campus convenience store. Current staff and volunteers will operate the pantry, and SIU hopes to alleviate costs through grant funding and donations.

 

Volunteers are needed to help stock and distribute items to students. To obtain more information, contact coordinator Sara Sauerhage at foodpantry@siu.edu.

 

Morris’ report, created with several co-authors, will be published in the near future by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.