The Ohio State University at Lima
IN-24: Innovation A

Food drives are everywhere: for veterans, children, the homeless or the area food banks. Countless volunteer hours have also been invested at soup kitchens, rescue missions, and community events. Food security was the focus of the campus’ first ever Day of Service in 2016, which included an educational panel and a service opportunity. Food Production and Security is one of Ohio State’s Discovery Themes, an initiative to address the world’s most pressing challenges. Undergraduate researchers Megan Azzarello and Bekka Forster worked with Dr. John R. Snyder, health and rehabilitation sciences professor, and Dr. Kamesh Casukhela, senior lecturer in mathematics, to assess the prevalence of food insecurity among students at Ohio State Lima. A convenience sample of 102 students completed the survey, representing 10.5 percent of the student population at the time. The results showed that 61.8 percent of the students were food insecure. Of those, 35.8 percent had very low security, or food insecurity with hunger; and 26.5 percent had low food security, or food insecurity without hunger. The result of the food insecurity research locally and across the broader community of college campuses is a new student service – the Lima Campus Food Pantry -- which opened at the end of January 2017. “We are very fortunate to have smart, engaged students who are concerned about others and committed to using the knowledge they are gaining in the classroom towards real-world solutions to complex problems like food insecurity and hunger,” said Charlene D. Gilbert, dean and director at Ohio State Lima. Students can access the food bank from its new home behind the Galvin Commons. Hours are from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., most Thursdays and Fridays. The Lima Campus Food Pantry provides healthy, nutritious food for students in need and their families. Employees can also access the pantry. The food pantry is a free service to anyone working or studying on the Lima Campus.