Local shoppers help stock UNI’s food pantry

HARLAN — Area grocery
shoppers helped a Harlan Community
graduate fulfill a service
assignment for a college course,
donating 269 pounds of food to the
University of Iowa’s Panther Pantry.
UNI freshman elementary
education major Tatum Lacey returned
to Harlan over Thanksgiving
break, and used her time at
home to collect donations for foodinsecure
college students.
“My geography class was
studying global poverty,” she explained.
“We were asked to either
volunteer at the Panther Pantry or
bring items from home to donate.”
Lacey said she had seen others
collecting donations at area
grocery stores, so she decided to
take the project a step further. On
Monday, Nov. 24, she set up a table
at Harlan’s Hy-Vee, where patrons
generously donated nonperishable
food items.
“It was a great experience,”
she said. Her class collected more
than 700 pounds of food for the
on-campus pantry, which is accessible
to all University of Northern
Iowa students.
“It’s a huge help for college
students,” Lacey said, noting that
food insecurity is prevalent on
college campuses for a variety of
reasons.
“Some may not have the money
for food,” she said. “Others may be
so busy between going to class and
working that they don’t have time
to go to the store.”
According to the U.S. Government
Accountability Office, about
3.8 million college students experience
food insecurity. A majority
reported multiple instances of eating
less than they should or skipping
meals because they could not
afford enough food.
The Panther Pantry offers food
and necessity items to any student
enrolled at the university. There
is no limit to the amount of food a
student may take, and the pantry
works to maintain student confidentiality.
Lacey said she is appreciative of
her hometown’s support of the project.