Chapel Hill, N.C. – The North Carolina Justice Center reported in a new publication that over half a million North Carolinians face food insecurity, so it is important to know the on-campus resources for students battling hunger.
One-in-five University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students are food insecure right here on campus. There are several contributing factors that play into the larger issue of hunger among current university students.
One of these factors is inflation and rising food costs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted that food costs will increase by about nine percent over the course of 2022.
This rise in costs is not only hitting grocery stores. University meal plans have also increased in price. The unlimited plan costs over $2,600. That is about 13 percent more than in 2019.
Carolina Cupboard is one campus group looking to help students suffering from food insecurity. They are a food pantry located in the Avery residence hall on campus.
According to their website, “the purpose of Carolina Cupboard is multidimensional in that it seeks to provide hunger-relief as well as educating, empowering, and engaging the surrounding community on issues related to food insecurity, poverty, health, and nutrition.”
Kayla Brown is the current president of Carolina Cupboard. She said that there is a tremendous need for a food pantry and that south campus is a food desert.
“Food insecurity definitely exists on this campus and considering south campus is definitely kinda like a food desert,” said Brown.
Carolina Cupboard has a partnership with Edible Campus UNC. This organization tends to vegetable gardens around campus including a quarter-acre plot behind Davis Library.
Edible Campus provides fresh produce and perishable goods to the food pantry. The group recently delivered eggs to the Cupboard as well.
Carolina Cupboard is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. It is currently by appointment only. However, Brown said she would like to move away from that model.
She also hopes that people will utilize the food pantry more now than in recent post COVID-19 years.
“We don’t ever turn students away… if you just need resources, this is here for you,” said Brown.
By: Mackenzie O’Donnell