By Runa Lemminn

News Editor

  Hungry students and faculty who forget lunch and money at home will not have to suffer all day without a meal any more. The CSU Bakersfield Food Pantry is set to open on Sept. 18, 2017, with the ribbon cutting ceremony slated for 12 p.m.

  Not to be confused with the community food distribution that takes place at CSUB every month, the food pantry is only for the students, faculty and staff of CSUB. 

  Kassandra Hernandez, CSUB’s Food Pantry coordinator, said the Food Pantry stems from a study that was conducted over CSU campuses. When Chancellor Timothy White got involved with the Basic Needs Initiative, “… things got moving.”

  When students are not food secure, their academics can suffer.

  “When you’re in class and your stomach is grumbling, you’re not thinking about class,” said Hernandez.
  Associated Students, Inc.  Executive Director, Ilaria Pesco, said the food pantry is part of an effort to make going to school at CSUB easier on students, especially the ones who are struggling financially. 

  “When you are focused on where your next meal is coming from, and where you’re going to live, you’re stressed, and you are not going to be focused on your classes,” said Pesco.

  Freshman education major Samantha Martinez said just forgetting lunch at home is hard enough sometimes.

    “You’re just thinking about food and how soon you can get out,” said Martinez.

   The solution was to provide a source for food that people could utilize right on campus. That way, students wouldn’t have to choose between academic expenses, such as buying books or buying groceries. 

  “It’s not food or an education, it’s food and an education,” said Hernandez. 

  The pantry will be located on campus, just north of the Student Union, and will be comprised of two refrigerated storage containers.                  

  One will be for the store itself, and the other unit will be for storage.

    Mark Felisilda, a senior double majoring in computer science and communications, said he knows people that would use the pantry. 

  “It sounds like a really interesting idea,” said Felisilda.

  The set up will be a grocery store format, so people will walk in and pick what they want off the shelves. Everyone will be allotted a certain number of points each week, with different items of food worth different amounts of points. Individuals will simply checkout using their points and leave with a reusable store bag.

  Pesco said that they are currently working with Trader Joe’s, Coke, and other corporations to donate bags. People can always donate to the pantry, and if it’s not open, food can be donated to ASI for the pantry.

  Community Action Partnership of Kern will supply the pantry, as well as the Fresno Food Bank, which will bring food to Bakersfield. There will also be specialty drives on campus. 

  Hours will be MW 10-2, 5-7p, TR 10-1, 3-5, Fridays 10-3, and by appointment as well.