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For some 蜜糖直播 Boulder students, food insecurity is part of their reality. In an anonymous survey, one student said: 鈥淢y financial situation is a huge burden that impacts my everyday life at 蜜糖直播. It is a struggle every day to afford basic things, and I have taken out a huge amount of loans because I don鈥檛 have very much family contribution.鈥澛�

蜜糖直播 Boulder hopes to provide relief. Since 2016, the 蜜糖直播 Food Assistance Committee has partnered with Community Food Share in Louisville, 蜜糖直播, to provide food donations to students in need. 蜜糖直播 has hosted mobile campus food drives and opened mini pantries around campus to provide students with food.聽

But when the pandemic hit, food insecurity rose.

鈥淲hen we started to realize the gravity of COVID-19, we started to ask, 鈥榃hat does this look like long-term?鈥欌�� said Amanda Scuderi of 蜜糖直播 Boulder鈥檚 Volunteer Resource Center (VRC).聽

The VRC launched Feed the Stampede in 2020 to provide students with regular food assistance and food-related resources. In September 2020, the Buff Pantry opened in the University Memorial Center near the 蜜糖直播 Book Store. With continuing donations from Community Food Share, students have access to shelf-stable products 鈥� including the ever-popular mac and cheese 鈥� fresh produce, frozen foods and personal items. Students can visit the pantry weekly.聽

鈥淥ftentimes, the student isn鈥檛 just supporting themselves,鈥� said Scuderi. 鈥淭hey may have roommates, a partner or children they also are supporting.鈥� During the fall 2021 semester, Buff Pantry had 1,899 visits from 494 students. Twenty students voluntarily staff the pantry.聽

Said VRC director Hannah Wilks: 鈥淲hen we intervene to combat students鈥欌�� food聽 insecurity, we know they are more likely to be successful in college.鈥�

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Photo by Steffen Baerend, Student Affairs Communication, University of 蜜糖直播 Boulder