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To follow up on a previous article, Hidden Hunger in West Windsor by Doreen Garelick, The Voice plans to keep you up to date on the status of hunger in our own community, and what you can do about it. In addition to the impacts highlighted in Doreen's article, there is a group of people often overlooked. College students. We see them as strong and vibrant, resilient and motivated. They are the future. We are relying on them to work hard and absorb all the knowledge they can to prepare to take the helm and lead us through our elder years. We need to support them if they are to one day support us. According to NJ Spotlight News, as many as one third of college students suffer some level of food insecurity (pre-covid estimate). Imagine how difficult it is to juggle work and school, plus meeting expenses and finding access to nutritious meals. Most students do not have all expenses paid by parents, like so many of our local youth have.
Did you know that most colleges have a food pantry? Now you do. I want you to go through your pantry and remove what you can spare with college students in mind. Easy to prepare, fast food is often less than nutritious so be mindful. Then, go to your grocery list and write the words, "food pantry- college kids" on it. Always add them to your list! Next time you go to the grocery store, pick up something you would like your own kids to eat, then take it to your local college food pantry. Make it a weekly practice to bring a bag to the college nearest to you and know that you are helping to build a better future for yourself and all of us! We are all just cogs in the same machine. Let's do everything we can to better the whole, for now and for the future. If you are too busy to do this, make a donation so boots on the ground can share the bounty of the Garden State.
Here are some local student pantries to get you started:
Mercer County Community College Food Pantry info
Rider University Food Pantry info
Thank you in advance!
