To see true Farmingdale State College (FSC) service at work, stop by Greenley Library 114 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. It’s a small space with a big heart and a growing capacity to help and support those in need. From a visitor who shared it was either textbooks or groceries that week, to a resident student picking up dorm room sundries, the FSC Food Pantry is open to all students, faculty, and staff with a valid FSC ID card.
“As a biology professor, in my interactions with students I hear about their struggles and the financial stressors in their lives,” said Carly Tribull, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, who championed the Food Pantry and got the initiative off the ground. “Our goal was to help relieve some of that stress where we can, enabling them to focus on their studies and helping to set them on a good path. We want this to resonate throughout the entire campus community.”
The FSC Food Pantry is an on-campus resource for free, healthy food selections and a judgment- free place for community members in need of assistance. It served approximately 210 unique patrons in its first year, many of whom were repeat visitors. Based on the success of the program and established need, FSC secured an additional $50K in funding from the State University of New York (SUNY) to purchase food and to staff the Food Pantry with a full-time employee, Shalini Outram, PhD, adjunct professor in biology and a Food Pantry volunteer. In addition, SUNY’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs provided the funding for a new refrigerator, and in fall 2023 the Food Pantry was able to offer fresh items such as milk, eggs, butter, fruit, and vegetables. The recently opened FSC Giving Garden, run by the FSC Office of Sustainability, harvested, washed, and prepped more than 200 pounds of organic produce that has helped stock the Food Pantry during harvest season. These enhancements helped the Food Pantry serve even more visitors, with 447 unique patrons in fall 2023 alone.
Food Insecurity and Hunger
Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. It is important to note that although hunger and food insecurity are closely related, they are two distinct concepts. Hunger refers to a personal, physical sensation of discomfort, while food insecurity refers to a lack of available financial resources for food at the household level.
Additional resources for members of the FSC community who require more long-term assistance include:
- FSC Health and Wellness Center
- The INN in Hempstead
- St. Killian's Food Pantry (for local Farmingdale residents)
Opened in spring 2022, the Food Pantry operated in a limited capacity to establish the need and demonstrate viability for the program. During that first semester, users submitted an online form to order items and Food Pantry volunteers shopped per order and packed bags for user pickup. FSC partnered with Auxiliary Service Corporation to provide funding, and Island Harvest joined in fall 2023, donating food and supplies. The Food Pantry relocated to a new, larger space in Greenley Library, which enabled users to visit the pantry and select items in a more traditional “shopping” model. In addition to funding and partnerships, organizations on campus, including FSC’s Nursing and Dental Hygiene Departments and several Greek societies, have donated funds, food, and toiletries.
The Food Pantry is now managed by Outram and the FSC Food Pantry Task Force, with a crew of 25 faculty, staff, and student volunteers. Volunteers work one-hour shifts weekly, assisting visitors, unpacking food, and stocking shelves.
“We are so grateful for our partners and for the generosity of SUNY and their support of this important initiative,” said Greg O’Connor, executive vice president and chief financial officer. “The commitment of our faculty, staff, and students who volunteer their time to the Food Pantry represents just one of the many ways in which our campus community comes together to support each other in times of need.”
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