In August 2024, a single bank of eight refrigerated lockers was installed in the Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE) facility at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. These lockers were installed with a specific purpose: to combat food insecurity on campus.
Illinois students can use the online ordering system Pantry Soft to order free perishable and shelf-stable items for pick-up at a scheduled time (Mondays and Wednesdays between 4-6 p.m.). They receive a one-time code that will unlock the locker so that they can quickly retrieve their items. The refrigerated lockers were funded in part by donors who gave to the university’s Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign, which raised $6,710 through 77 gifts to support the Food Assistance & Well-Being Program on campus.
The program’s operations, supplies and staffing are supported by funds from the U. of I. Campus Recreation service fee, and they are a satellite pantry of parent agency, Wesley United Methodist Church, a registered 501(c)3 organization. The program is run by 20 student volunteers, supported by two graduate student staff members and managed by Rachel Yang, Assistant Director of Food Security at Campus Recreation.
The locker installation project was implemented to complement—and extend—the existing services provided by the initiative, which includes a free shopping style pantry that has been in the Instructional Kitchen in the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) since 2020. The addition of refrigerated lockers at CRCE provides increased access to food, flexible scheduling solutions and the option of anonymity for students. Whether using the lockers at CRCE or shopping at the physical pantry at ARC, there are now several options available from the Food Assistance & Well-Being Program to support students’ basic needs on campus.
These resources are available on a weekly basis for all Illinois students who are registered for a minimum of six credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. In 2023, over 800 shoppers utilized the short-term emergency food relief resources from the program, using their I-card to access the campus facility at ARC.
When scheduling an order online for pick-up (an option available at both ARC and CRCE) or shopping in person at ARC—patrons can choose what they need from a selection of protein, dairy, fresh produce, canned items, grain, and a small collection of personal care products. The majority of the program’s pantry inventory is purchased through Eastern Illinois Food Bank through funding from individual donors and Wesley. The inventory is sometimes supplemented by donations from businesses and community members, and occasional purchases are made from the U. of I.’s Department of Animal Sciences Meat & Egg Sales and the Student Sustainable Farm.
“Food insecurity is a continuum, and everyone is deserving of a balanced, healthy plate,” said Alana Harris, Ph.D., Associate Director of Assessment, Student Wellness, and Adventure Recreation at Campus Recreation. “Meeting urgent—often acute—needs does not solve the systemic problem of food security. Programming and staff support are needed to provide a community of care for people.”
Resources
Basic Needs On-Campus Food Resources
Everybody Eats
Eat. Move. Save.
Eastern Illinois Food Mobile Schedule
Eastern Illinois Foodbank Interactive Map
FindFood IL
School & Collegiate Food Pantries
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Wesley Food Pantry Locations and Hours
Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Support the Food Assistance and Wellbeing Program
Donate to the Illinois Food Assistance & Wellbeing Program
Food Assistance & Wellbeing Program Amazon Wishlist
Food Assistance & Well-Being Program FAQs
Host a Food Drive
How to Host a Food Drive PDF
Submit Request Form
Volunteer
Food Assistance & Well-Being Program Volunteer Interest Form