A food pantry is now available at Eastern New Mexico University, a first for the school.
The food pantry is in the Campus Life office in the Campus Union building.
Rey Coss, ENMU director of Campus Life, said faculty, staff and students have wanted a food pantry for a while, according to a recent university news release.
"Many of us, university staff and faculty, know that being a college student has many struggles," Coss stated in a memo sent to university staff last week. "This struggle can come from finances, home life, or stress over class loads. Although one of the most significant issues that many faculty and staff have mentioned over the years is food insecurities for students, Campus Life agrees with you 100%. We want to fill this space with as many non-perishables and supplies as possible.”
Coss said the pantry will open when once it is stocked, according to the release. Residents of the greater Portales community have been asked to donate.
Tamia Smith, ENMU student body president, thinks the food pantry is a good idea.
“A lot of our students come from first-generation homes and don't come from a lot of money," Smith said in the release.
The food pantry will also aid students during inclement weather, Smith said.
“It can rain hard in Portales and the town doesn't have a quality drainage system, and students can't walk to the store to buy food under these circumstances,” she said. “I think the faculty and administration want to make sure students are taken care of.”
They even provide "out of their own pockets to make sure students have what they need," Smith added.
Jeff Long, ENMU vice president of student affairs, said the university has addressed student food insecurity through various programs in the past and the pantry will be another service to aid students.
"Students have had a need for (a food pantry) for a long time and we have tried to address it with other programs," Long said in the release. “COVID impacted students' lives. The shutdowns affected students and their families financially."
The "general economy" has also made it more difficult for students to afford groceries, Long said.
The students in the Campus Life office will coordinate the pantry program and schedule personnel, Long said.
The food pantry will operate the same hours as the Greyhound Lounge (weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and will be run by the Greyhound Lounge student team, the memo stated.
"All items may be brought to the Campus Life office," according to the memo.
The food pantry accepts meat, fish, canned goods, nuts, soup, rice, pasta, bread, cereal, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, baby formula, toiletries and more, the release stated.
Anyone who needs special assistance for pickup or wants more information on the program can call the Campus Life office at 575-562-2108, the release stated. The office can also be reached via email at campus.life@enmu.edu.
