University of Illinois Springfield graduate student Malayzja Anderson knows that students like her are at times compelled to stretch their money and food in resourceful ways.
Food insecurity in particular is common among students, Anderson has found. She’s addressing that issue by helping to stock donated, nonperishable food items for the university’s new UIS Cares, an initiative that provides a food pantry for students.
“Around this time of year, especially as the semester is ending, meal plans are depleted, so students often eat at their friends’ houses or may not eat as much for the day,” said Anderson, 25, a world history masters candidate and graduate assistant in UIS’ Diversity Center. “With the food pantry, they’re able to come in and just grab something to supplement them.”
UIS Cares opened for the first time from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, Student Affairs Building 60, on the UIS campus.
UIS Cares also will be open to UIS students for the fall semester from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, and Thursday, Dec. 1.
“It will be ongoing,” said Mark Dochterman, director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center. “It also has its own email address (UISCares@uis.edu), and people can contact us directly and set up a time. Hunger doesn’t happen on our schedule. If somebody needs to come in between these dates or a different time … we’ll work with them on an individual basis.”
The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on October 21, 2016.
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