As cost of living bites, Western Sydney University offers a helping hand to students with fresh pantry staples
With the Spring semester getting underway Western Sydney University is launching a food hub at its Kingswood campus, known as Western Pantry.
Western Pantry will provide students with access to fresh and healthy produce and pantry staples, free of cost.
Running as a pilot, the Pantry will initially be open on Monday afternoons and Wednesday mornings, with students able to access the service once a week and select approximately five items throughout their visit.
Students will be encouraged to take one to two items from each section which may include milk, canned goods, breads, cereals, rice, spreads, sauces, fresh produce and more.
Western Sydney University's Vice-President (People and Advancement), Mr Angelo Kourtis, said the important community-based initiative is all about helping students as food insecurity continues to be a growing concern around the country.
“Not all students come to university with a full toolkit, and rising costs of living means many students are at risk of not having ready access to fresh and nutritious food,” said Mr Kourtis.
“As the University named number one in the world for our social, ecological and economic impact for the third year in a row in the Times Higher Education Impact rankings, this initiative is a great example of our ongoing commitment to equity, access and inclusion and tackling issues, such as food insecurity, head on.
“By providing easily accessible, free food on campus, we are helping our students feel energised, nourished and ready to tackle their studies.”
The process will be as simple as students picking their items off the shelves and taking them to a 'checkout counter' where they will scan a QR code which records their student ID.
As much as possible fresh produce will be sourced from local farms, market gardens and food rescue organisations.
Student Community Program Coordinator Ms Miranda Zhang said the initiative builds on the existing programs at the University.
“As part of our Community Dinners program we have already served over 7,500 dinners to students across 10 of our campuses this year, and more than 7,700 breakfasts across eight of our campuses thanks to the Free Student Breakfast program,” said Ms Zhang.
“Our food security programs not only fill an important need for fresh, nutritious food for our students, it’s also a wonderful engagement opportunity for them while they are studying with us. We are seeing more students spending time in breakfast areas, more volunteer and employment opportunities for our students on campus and real-life skills being developed.”
Western Pantry is Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) funded with the Student Community Food Security Programs (opens in a new window) team overseeing the coordination and logistics of the pantry. Volunteers will help stock shelves and student casuals will be employed to assist with QR code check ins and other tasks during operational hours.
In addition to initiatives provided through SSAF, students have access to a comprehensive range of services at the University, including welfare, counselling, and wellbeing support (opens in a new window).
ENDS
22 July 2024
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