The FSC Food Pantry, established in spring 2022, has evolved into a vital on-campus resource, addressing food insecurity among students, faculty, and staff. Initially spearheaded by Dr. Tribull of the Biology Department, Greenly Library Director Karen Gelles, Dr. Cho from the School of Business, and Associate Librarian Kathryn Machin, the pantry began with a reservation system. Due to growing demand, it expanded to a dedicated room in Greenly Library.
Efforts led by Dr. Tribull and Ms. Gelles to secure community donations resulted in partnerships with organizations like Island Harvest. Additional funding from the State University of New York (SUNY) and SUNY Military and Veterans Affairs allowed for the purchase of food and a new refrigerator. This enabled the pantry to offer fresh items such as milk, eggs, and vegetables from the FSC Giving Garden.
Dr. Carly Tribull manages the pantry with a team of 25 volunteers, who assist with weekly operations. “Our goal is to help relieve some of the stress our students face,” said Tribull. The pantry also caters to dietary restrictions and provides ethnic ready-to-eat meals, reflecting the diversity of the FSC community.
The pantry's efforts extend beyond just food distribution. For the past two years, the Business Society has collaborated with the pantry to provide, Thanksgiving meal kits. “In addition to creating these kits, the event is a great opportunity for students to understand how the Food Pantry is an example of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the school as well as students volunteering their time also represents an example of directly engaging in CSR activities.” says Dr. Cho.
The FSC Food Pantry operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10am-1pm and 4pm-6pm and is open to all with a valid FSC ID.
For more information, visit the Food Pantry's web page or follow their Instagram @FSCfoodpantry