Nearly half of college students in Washington State have experienced food insecurity at some point, and as grocery prices continue to rise, more and more students may find themselves unsure of where their next meal will come from.

In response to this common struggle, Seattle U’s Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (H&WP) has focused on expanding and improving its on-campus food pantry. Located in the Pavilion building at the center of campus, the food pantry serves as a readily accessible resource for any student in need of assistance.

“A lot of our undergrad students are sometimes in need of help, and so we are a really big resource on campus to help provide free food,” Jessica Flores, a second-year biology major and peer health educator for H&WP, said. “It’s not needs-tested, meaning we don’t ask any questions. We just ask that you fill out our form and you follow our guidelines.”

The only requirement to access the food pantry is to be a student at Seattle U, graduate and law students included. Students can request up to one bag per week of canned and fresh food, including vegan and gluten-free options when available.

“During my time, we would regularly pack over 200 bags of food a week,” Megan Okuma, a 2024 alumnus and former student employee at H&WP, said. “It’s a really great thing that we’re able to serve that many people.”

The Food Pantry is not the only resource that exists for students seeking meals. Typically located near the entrance of the Harding building, the Department of Psychology stocks and manages a smaller shelf of food available on a “grab and go” basis.

“I’ve walked past the psychology panty on my way to class fairly often,” Anai Quintanilla, a third-year psychology major, said. “There’s a sign on the shelf explaining how it works: Anybody can grab anything, you don’t have to ask. I’ve seen snacks like granola bars, ramen [and] someone even left a big stack of coupons one time.”

Quintanilla believes that the casual nature of the food pantry makes it more accessible for students.

“It’s in a quiet part of campus. There’s no spectacle, you don’t have to grab stuff in front of a bunch of people,” Quintanilla said. “I think it would be helpful if they implemented things like this in other buildings, because people don’t really hear about it unless they’re a psychology student.”

The main drawback to this resource, however, is that the pantry is funded by the psychology department alone. Because they receive no outside funding except for occasional donations, the pantry is not always available. According to the Psychology Office Assistant Kalista Brush, the pantry is not currently available and may not return for the remainder of the year due to a lack of budget. 

The food pantries work to destigmatize the act of asking for help. By increasing awareness and visibility for the resources on campus for students, H&WP hopes that students will feel empowered to take what they need.

“The stigma around going to the food pantry was really harsh and it was very noticeable,” Flores said. “I would say, like, last year, it was a very hush-hush type of conversation about it, but I think this year there’s a lot more inclusivity and positivity around going to the food pantry and getting what you need.”

Flores and Okuma both attribute this change to an increase in advertising compared to past years, as well as improvements made to the behind-the-scenes processes, such as their recently updated request form.

“Seattle U is such a caring community, and no one’s gonna judge you, and if the help is there, you should take it,” Okuma encouraged. “You are more than deserving of your basic human rights to food and shelter and all of that, so don’t feel ashamed to take a bag. The bag doesn’t have any signage on it, it just looks like you went shopping. I cannot emphasize enough how much you pay and contribute to SU, so make use of everything that you can while you’re there.”

Students can request bags from the food pantry at https://app.pantrysoft.com/login/seattleu. Updates and information can frequently be found on Instagram at @wellnessatseattleu. Students interested in volunteering at the food pantry are encouraged to visit the Health and Wellness Center on the second floor of the Student Center.