Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s (TAMUK) Javelina CARE Pantry is now one of 10 colleges in Texas to become a member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA).
In Fall 2017, TAMUK created the Javelina CARE Pantry. The Pantry consists of non-perishable food products, hygiene products and dry goods such as paper towels.
“The purpose of this pantry is to aid currently enrolled students at Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the event of a short-term food and/or hygiene shortage,” the CARE Pantry website states.
CUFBA is an organization that partners with schools that have programs that are working to provide students in need with food through supporting, training and providing universities with resources.
Their mission states, “To alleviate the barriers and challenges associated with food insecurity and hunger so that college and university students can remain in school, and ultimately, earn their degrees,” the organization’s website states.
After hearing about CUFBA through her participation in Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Emergency Aid Network, Dr. Teresa Riley, the senior vice president for Student Affairs and University Administration at TAMUK, thought the university could benefit by becoming a member.
TAMUK was granted membership within two weeks of going through the application process of answering questions about the university’s pantry.
Now that TAMUK is a member of CUFBA, Dr. Riley believes that the CARE Pantry will be able to do more for students.
“I believe our students will benefit because through our membership we can gain access to current research, resources, helpful tools such as surveys to continue to improve upon this particular emergency aid program,” Dr. Riley said.
Currently, the Javelina CARE Pantry runs off of donations from faculty, staff, students and student organizations, as well as other individuals and organizations from the community.
“I believe that this approach to stocking the CARE Pantry really sends the clear message that the Javelina Nation cares about providing secure sources of food, hygiene products and school supplies to help students to be successful. We also have a donor-based emergency grant program and the professional clothing closet which have been created through cash or clothing donations from generous people in our community and on campus,” Dr. Riley said.
Students can visit the clothing closet in Eckhardt Hall and contact Career Services for more information.The Javelina CARE Pantry can be visited in the MSUB in Room 220A.
To see the Pantry’s schedule visit http://www.tamuk.edu/javelinaemergencyaid/JavelinaCARESpantry.html.