Campus Cupboard made grand debut on Thursday, Aug. 24 after food insecurity at Augustana College catches the eye of administration and faculty members.
During the 2016-2017 academic school year, food insecurity became a concern among members of the Augustana College community. As a result, Campus Cupboard, a take as you need service providing nonperishable food items, hygiene items, and school supplies, was formed earlier this Spring.
The cupboard is available only to Augustana College students and is run by CORE. It is open every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Olin 310. Items can be obtained at no cost to the consumer and are not limited.
The service relies heavily on donations to which anyone can participate.  Drop off sites can be found outside of CORE, in Denkmann Memorial Hall, the faculty lounge on the first floor of Old Main, the Sociology Department in Carlsson Evald Hall, and the Campus Ministries office. Students can also get involved through Campus Kitchens, which supports the cupboard by providing volunteers.
Senior Janelle Norden, a Sociology major with a concentration on Social Welfare, is in charge of donation drives and makes sure that the cupboard is stocked every week.
“I hope that people use it, and use it to their benefit—‘cause it’s here,” Norden said. “Even if they just come and are like, ‘I needed to make pasta tonight and just needed a box of pasta,’ that’s totally fine. Or if you forget your lunch on Thursday and you’re like, ‘I need to grab a cup of cereal or macaroni and cheese, it’s there.”
Keri Bass, the Assistant Director of Advising Vocation and Community Service, helps and oversees student workers in CORE develop programs around service. She works closely with Norden, advocating for the needs of the cupboard.
“We had just shy of one-hundred people on the opening day. A good number of those people were coming for the service, and a good number of people were coming because they were just passionate about helping other people around the issues of food insecurity,” Bass said. “That tells me two things: one, that there’s a need for it, but secondly, that we have students that are really passionate about meeting that need. I’m just always taken back by the spirit of the Augustana student.”