Michelle Tapia, a Chico State student, organizes the cans at the Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 in Chico, California. (Rebekah Ludman/Enterprise-Record)
CHICO — Food insecurity continues to be a problem in American society, and it certainly doesn’t discriminate by age. So, in a cruel twist, young adults seeking to improve themselves through education can discover they don’t have enough healthy food to eat — thus impairing their efforts to learn.
That is the issue the Basic Needs Project, a Chico State enterprise, seeks to address when enrolled students face food shortages. Basic Needs operates the Hungry Wildcat Food Pantry, which offers a wide variety of nutritious foods such as organic produce, canned foods, dairy products and personal hygiene supplies to students in need.
Now the pantry can be especially proud of its effects on alleviating student hunger, as it celebrates its 10th anniversary of operation this month. The place that began as a small bookcase stocked with canned and dry goods in 2013 has expanded into one of the most active university pantries in the nation.
The pantry will be on display for visitors at its anniversary and Basic Needs Open House in Chico State’s Student Services Center Plaza, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
“The pantry has been a beacon of student hope and support on the Chico State campus for the past decade,” said Joe Picard, director of Basic Needs. “Through the dedicated work and commitment of students, community volunteers, donors, staff and faculty, we have started to address student poverty.”
The pantry has served more than 40,000 students during its existence, and Picard expects it will provide more than 250,000 pounds of food and more than $100,000 in emergency grants this year.
Emergency grants are another Basic Needs component — helping students who have applied for assistance when they face dire financial conditions. Basic Needs also provides…
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