The campus food pantry is finally a reality.
By Dylan Hart
Last semester, it was a rough draft sketched by Student Government members. Now, just months later, the campus food pantry is a reality — and it’s aiming even higher.
Located in Room 1702 of the Student Life Center, which is the Leadership and Student Organizations office, the pantry has just a few shelves for now, but all of them are fully stocked, and staff are ready to provide resources to students.
Students who are in need of support can call the office of Student Outreach and Support at 727-873-4278. Once a staff member is reached, the student will then fill out an intake request form and provide their U-number.
From there, students are given a receipt to take a number of items from the shelves.
Although initially envisioned as a food pantry, like Feed-A-Bull at USF Tampa, it has been rebranded as the Support-A-Bull Market and has fallen under the care of the Student Outreach and Support office.
The market held a “soft open” on Aug. 19. SOS plans to invite local politicians and community donors to an official grand opening on Sept. 23. The office is still hiring student workers through Federal Work Study, but the market has already seen use by students.
Plans to expand
Joseph Contes, assistant director of SOS, already has big plans for the market. But expansion is going to rely on the campus community. The program has no assigned budget. Instead, it relies entirely on donations and awards.
“We’re trying to use our limited resources wisely,” Contes said.
Less than a month after opening, Support-A-Bull Market is already a finalist in a competition called Block By Block, which would give the program a grant if it wins.
“I think that one of the reasons we’re a finalist for that competition is because of our unique model,” Contes said.
Unlike many other food pantries, where staff make the decisions and give recipients their food, the Support-A-Bull Market is a “grocery store” model, where students are given options for what to pick.
They are bound by a “receipt,” which aims to guide them toward a balanced and nutritious diet, but students still have some choices to make — all of which are free of charge. The aim with this model, Contes said, is to foster independence, dignity and nutritional education in students.
Food insecurity is a serious problem on college campuses in America, and SOS is no stranger to the statistics. Contes said that 75 percent of students on Financial Aid faced food insecurity within the past 30 days of answering a survey, and 55 percent either skipped meals or had to choose between food and some other essential, like a doctor’s visit or a textbook for class.
Even students with prepaid meal plans can struggle, with 43 percent still facing food insecurity. This is especially common when options for food have limited hours.
Part of the purpose of the market is to gauge how food insecurity impacts the student body at USF St. Petersburg, Contes said. Basic data, such as gender and race, are collected from every participant via their U-number.
“56 percent of students who face food insecurity work, too, so we have to be flexible to that,” Contes said.
The office also plans to use the data to offer help to struggling students, as repeated visits may indicate deeper problems like economic, domestic or relationship issues. Contes said that there will be no limit on how many times a student can visit the market, even if they decline services offered to them by SOS.
The only requirement to visit the food pantry is active student status. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the student has to be taking classes this semester.
SOS is still determining the best hours for students and plans to establish a more routine schedule once more data is collected, but the office is prepared to change its hours per semester if the student body demands it.
Despite the program’s reliance on outside funding, Contes hopes to start a competitive food drive later this semester and offer an incentive to the winning organization. He also wants to mirror the Feed-A-Bull program in Tampa by partnering with Sodexo to help students in need.
“I see the program going a lot further,” Contes said. But for now, they’re “here to help.”
Donations
If you would like to make a donation, visit the SOS office in the Piano Man Building, 701 Third St. S, or call the office at 727-873-4278. The office accepts all donations, but lists several items as “needed” on its page at usfsp.edu/student-outreach-and-support/food-pantry under “donations information.”
Food items must be non-perishable, cannot be expired or opened, and must be in their original packaging or label. Canned items should be free of “major dents.”
Contes said that tampons and pads are some of the rarest and most needed products in any community outreach program, and the Support-A-Bull Market is no exception. Some females who struggle with food insecurity may forgo feminine hygiene in favor of meals, or vice versa.
Cash donations can also be made through the USF Foundation at giving.usf.edu.
