St. Cloud State University’s Huskies Food Pantry has made its official move to the James W. Miller Learning Resources Center this week, ensuring a better space for distribution of food for students.
Huskies Food Pantry first officially opened on campus nearly five years ago. The pantry’s Hill Hall location underwent a significant upgrade in 2022 due to a partnership with 501c3 non-profit humanitarian organization Hope for the Community, led by SCSU alumnus Dr. Alan Goracke.
The partnership provided the pantry with two large refrigerators and two large freezers, which allowed the pantry to expand to serve healthier fresh and frozen food items.
“We hope the new location will reach even more students,” said Jason Woods, Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “Providing services like the Huskies Food Pantry is just one way that SCSU is committed to ensuring students can focus on their educational goals and achieve success.”
The Huskies Food Pantry had nearly 10,000 total visits during the past academic year, distributing over 119,000 pounds of food to almost 2,300 individual students. Students have continually utilized this important service, prompting a need for a move.
“The new location in the Miller Center provides us with a large wide-open room near a loading dock, with ample room for students, staff, and volunteers to navigate, which creates a better experience for everyone,” said Christa Martin, SCSU’s Director of Civic Engagement. “The bright and beautiful space in the Miller Center helps to decrease the stigma of individuals accessing food resources while also providing a link to academic learning resources in the library.”
This new space will better accommodate the growing number of students who rely on the pantry to support learning, wellness, and retention. Over 100 volunteers support the pantry each year, and areas across campus have supported its mission to ensure it will remain a vital resource for SCSU students for years to come.
Check out the new location in Miller Center Room 135.
