Courtesy of Peturla Scarlett
Neatly stacked shelves of food and care products can be seen inside the Support-A-Bull Market.
The University of South Florida St. Peterburg campus opened a pantry in 2019 with the goal of providing food and other resources to students who need them.
Located on the first floor of the Student Life Center, Support-A-Bull Market exists solely to “reduce the anxieties of food hardship and hunger among USF students” according to the mission statement on its website.
The resource started due to an incentive proposed by Student Government, which hoped to raise awareness about students being unable to afford food and other necessities as well as to provide general support to those who require it.
In fall 2019, the USF Foundation held a fundraiser and raised $1,640 from 39 donors. Staff from Student Affairs, Student Outreach and Support, as well as former Student Body President Jadzia Duarte, who is now an alumnus, were in charge of the project. One of the main goals of the fundraiser was to gain enough funds to purchase a refrigerator so students could have more access to perishable items like dairy, fruits, vegetables and bread, among others.
Although it’s been over three years since Support-A-Bull Market was established, the team still tries to reach out to students in various ways.
“We have historically engaged in programming such as Cooking With Culture, a program designed to help students eat healthy with pantry items and highlight our students’ cultural background,” Joseph Contes, director of Student Outreach and Support, said in a statement. “We also launch a Feeding Success breakfast and snack items bags each semester where we hand deliver these bags to students on-campus and have intentional conversations about the program and our mission.”
These efforts are made to promote the pantry and introduce students to good food habit. However, Contes explained “On average we process 7-10 request for bags a week this semester. This is a small increase from semesters prior.”
Regardless of their efforts and the usefulness of this resource, not many students utilize the pantry.
“I only knew about it because of one flyer I saw my freshman year, it should be promoted in the elevators of the parking garage because that is where a lot of the commuter students get their information,” said Belle Jones, a senior double-majoring in Forensic Studies & Justice and Communication.
Due to more well-known resources available, Support-A-Bull Market seems to get overlooked by those who would benefit from its services. Jones concludes the pantry might be especially useful for students who don’t have a meal plan.
Anyone who wishes to obtain supplies from the pantry simply have to order whatever they need online —whether that’s food or toiletries— and a staff member will pack a bag that the student can pick up at an arranged time. There is no limit to the amount times students can receive items from Support-A-Bull Market; it is available for as long as students need it.
If the pantry is used three times by the same person, Student Outreach and Support might intervene to provide access to additional resources if the student requires it. If not, they can continue to use the pantry for groceries and other necessities.
Jones strongly believes Support-A-Bull Market is a valuable resource for the USFSP community. “I think there are definitely students who keep the pantry at the back of their mind for a last resort. If the pantry is taken away, those emergency students do not have services to help,” she said.
If you don’t need to use the pantry but want to aid in their mission to rid fellow Bulls of food hardship, non-perishable items can be dropped off at the Student Outreach and Support Office. Their website provides specific details about items that can be donated as well as a wish list of supplies that are needed.
Students who are curious about the pantry are encouraged to stop by or contact staff from either office.
