Building from Scratch: The First-Ever Food Pantry at Lynn University

We will describe how Lynn University librarians took a risk, spent some money we didn’t have, and ended up developing Lynn’s first-ever food pantry. It has since been embraced and valued across campus, and will now be – we believe – fully-funded and made permanent. We hope this will lead to more systemic, full-scale programs to help food-insecure students. Word-of-mouth spread far and wide. Since opening in the fall, more than 700 students have used the pantry. Of 276 anonymous surveys received, 198 of them report that they use it because they cannot afford food. We’ve now partnered with Lynn’s student wellness ambassadors, the department of Health and Wellness, Student Financial Services, Student Success and Retention, and more. Some of the written comments we’ve received include: 1. “Please do not end this service. I am experiencing extreme food insecurity and hunger.” 2. “Thank you for not letting me starve.”