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The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

The University of Utah's Independent Student Voice

The Daily Utah Chronicle

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U Food Pantry May Expand Capacity to Feed Student Community

Shelves+of+food+at+the+Feed+U+Pantry+%7C+Chronicle+archives.
Shelves of food at the Feed U Pantry | Chronicle archives.

College can be difficult, but on an empty stomach, it’s even worse.

The Feed U Food Pantry at the U works to eliminate hunger on campus, but its current location restricts the variety of goods it is able to offer. A bill to expand the pantry will be heard by the ASUU Assembly and Senate. If approved, the bill will move the center to a venue better equipped to handle the quantity of foods needed on campus.

The pantry is currently located on the second floor of the U’s Campus Store, behind a roped-off textbook section.

“Not only is it in a somewhat hidden location, clients face compromising their anonymity when asking to be allowed back to get to the pantry,” said Nick Knight, a junior in biology and intern manager of the pantry, in an emailed statement.

Because of the physical limitations of the location — a lack of refrigeration, for example — the pantry has been unable to offer goods beyond nonperishable items. Chartwells Dining Services donated a refrigeration system, but the pantry doors proved too small to allow the refrigerators through. The campus gardens have offered to donate produce to the pantry, but the pantry’s inability to store the items has prevented them from doing so.

Should the bill be passed, the pantry will move to a larger location on or near campus with the capacity to accommodate a wider variety of products, as well as the refrigeration system. Though ASUU policy states: “It is generally the policy of ASUU that no university departments, building repairs, building operations or building maintenance will be funded with ASUU funds,” the policy can be overturned with “substantial justification,” which includes entities that provide for the welfare of the U community. Those behind the bill are confident it will pass.

“Clearly a lot of people have been working on this food security issue,” said John Peterson, senator for the College of Science. “We’re pretty confident right now the bill will pass without too much resistance.”

The bill proposes the expansion of the pantry to be completed within the next five years (by April 30, 2021). ASUU usually accomplishes tasks within one fiscal year, so the bill faces the hurdle of establishing a multi-year sitting fund.

The bill will be voted on by the Assembly on Tuesday and the Senate on Thursday.

“Should the bill pass and the pantry move to a new venue,” Knight said, “Feed U will be better equipped to serve members of the U and to overcome the hurdles it faces now as a social service.”

[email protected]

@sarahnlegg

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