When A Supermarket Comes to Campus
Walk down the stairs, be sure to watch your step. Open this door, make a right, open another door. Swipe your student id. Grab a reusable bag, or bring your own. Walk through the aisles and take whatever you need; green beans, cereal, rice, macaroni and cheese. Open up the refrigerator, take milk or bread, and then move onto the household items table. Pick up shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products; anything that you may need, but might not be able to get on your own. These steps are all you have to know to be able to use the Red Hawk Pantry here at Montclair State University. It is not a difficult task. Some students even compare it to shopping at a real grocery store.
Food is an expense that often gets overlooked when it comes time to head off to college. Tuition, books and supplies, and dorm room necessities often top the list, and food remains an afterthought for many students, and even parents. There is no longer a stocked refrigerator that seems to magically replenish itself each week, and food on campus is often overpriced and lacks the nutritional value that students grew used to while living at home.
When looking at Montclair’s student body, one would not think that food insecurity lives and breathes on campus. Students flood the cafeteria and the handful of sandwich shops, coffee joints, and grab-n-go counters here each day. Yet, among them, there is a hidden population of both undergraduate and graduate students who may not know where their next meal is going to come from. When students expressed their food insecurity to Dr. Karen Pennington, Vice President of Student Development and Campus Life, she knew that something had to be done.
Dr. Pennington reached out to Sonja Tillman, Program Coordinator for Student Life Services on Campus, to help. Tillman soon became the Pantry’s coordinator and handles everything from donations, to swiping students’ ids, to fundraising events. “People do not realize that tuition and books and everything just eats up money and there’s very little money left to eat. You get people who say, ‘oh well, if they’re in college, then they can afford food. Why don’t they just get a job?’ A lot of our students have two jobs and are full time students, and still can’t make it,” said Tillman.
The pantry is not just for students who need complete financial support for food. Most of the students who use it are those who find themselves running low on meal swipes or waiting for their next paycheck, so that they can go buy groceries on their own. The grocery store style setup allows students to feel comfortable using the pantry as a legitimate resource, one that they should not be looked down upon for using or feel embarrassed about being seen in. While this hasn’t proven to be an issue thus far, the pantry’s discreet location at the back of the student center near the freight elevator helps diminish any possible cases of embarrassment.
For Rachel Hanrahan, a junior living in student apartments at MSU, the pantry never crossed her mind as a resource to help her out in tough times. “I’m not working this semester, so it’s hard having to keep up. Not having a meal plan forces me to spend a lot of money on groceries and food on campus, so after hearing about the pantry, I’m definitely considering stopping by.”
Getting the pantry up and running may have been difficult anywhere else, but Tillman explained that with the help of the generosity of the Montclair State community, in particular, Stacy Albanese, it was a reasonably easy task. “We get a lot of donations from alumni, they have been very, very kind. We also get faculty and staff donations, as well as student donations. During Greek Week, the Greek organizations are extremely instrumental in our canned goods, donating over 2,000 cans recently.”
Albanese is the Associate Director of Alumni Relations and graduate student here at Montclair. While pursuing a Master’s degree in Public and Organizational Relations, Albanese’s psychology class required her to work with a client. Her group’s client was Student Development and Campus Life at Montclair. Albanese’s group were the ones heavily responsible for getting the pantry on its feet last April.
As a student, Albanese knows the importance of being able to afford basic necessities, like food and toiletries, and how something that seems so simple can impact a student academically. “If a student is worrying about where their next meal is coming from, then, they’re not performing well in class, they’re not living up to what they could be,” said Albanese. In her position in Alumni Relations, Albanese oversees all alumni donations, which make up a large portion of the pantry. Whether it be through monetary gifts to the school, or simply by dropping off a few cans, alumni have played a large role in keeping the pantry stable.
While the donations are pleasing to see, as it shows the Montclair community reaching out to help, Tillman said that the most rewarding part of the job thus far has been seeing students’ faces when they first enter the pantry. “Students are allowed to take what they want, and we don’t check their bags when they leave. We just give them the freedom and the dignity to come and take what they need,” said Tillman.
If you’re in need of a few basic items and are having trouble coming up with the money, stop by the pantry to fill out an application. First time visitors are allowed to take what they need on the spot, no questions asked. After filling out the application and leaving with your items, your long term eligibility will be determined with Tillman and financial aid.
Food insecurity should never be something that you are ashamed about, as it is a problem on college campuses across the nation. The pantry was formed to help rid students of at least one aspect of college-induced stress, food insecurity, so that they can focus on academics and all that Montclair has to offer.
If you’re looking to make a donation, or learn more about the pantry and how to get involved, please reach out to Sonja Tillman at (973)-655–6959 or stop by her office across from the Student Center ballrooms.
