If you’re a Georgia Southern student, and you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, you may be interested in stopping by the Eagle Essentials Food Pantry. 

The food pantry coordinator, Casey Weaver, explained in an interview that the goal of the food pantry is designed specifically to help students who are struggling to feed themselves, whatever the reason may be. 

“If you’re a student who is skipping a meal or saying I don’t know where my next meal is coming from, this is a prime location for you,” Weaver said.  

It’s still a new concept for the campus, as the food pantry opened roughly two-years-ago. However, awareness of the Eagle Essentials Food Pantry is increasing incrementally as of late; and with that awareness comes even more of a demand. 

This year, food pantry demand amongst the students has increased since fall 2020. What started as only 35 students in the fall of 2020, has increased to 165 students as of fall 2021. Weaver hopes to raise more awareness for students who either need or require this program.  

“My real goal is to make sure that every student at Georgia Southern, if they are struggling with food insecurity, know that the food pantry exists and they know how to access it and they are accessing it okay,” Weaver said.

For those who don’t need or require any food items but wish to help, the food pantry crew offers volunteer work, and of course takes donations of food. The only request for food donations is that whatever you donate does not have to be refrigerated, since the pantry does not have its refrigerator at the moment. 

You can donate more than just food to the food pantry. Since the overall goal is to help students struggling to remain on their feet, there happens to be other items you can acquire for free to help you with your day-to-day life. 

Hygiene products can also be donated; such as toothbrushes, laundry detergent, toilet paper, soaps and more. For students struggling to make ends meet with off-campus housing rent, this could be a viable way to help cut some corners with the budget. 

This is also pretty handy for students who just don’t have much money for groceries to spend in general, but desperately need these items regardless. 

The food pantry continues its mission for another year, with 70 students finding a use for it already within the first four weeks of school. The doors are open for everyone, and the cost is free. 

No questions are asked as to your financial position either, so you don’t have to feel any pressure. The food pantry is simply here to be an asset for those who are struggling.

“I want students to know that if they are struggling to find a meal, that we are here to help support them in offsetting the cost of going to school,” said Weaver. “We do not ask questions and we do not care who you are. We want you to use the food pantry.”

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