Western Kentucky University
IN-14: Food Bank

The WKU Food Pantry, located at the Office of Sustainability, provides assistance to students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity. The pantry is well-supported by both campus and community donations. Student organizations such as Student Government Association, WKU Panhellenic organizations, and Housing and Residence Life frequently host food drives, creating meaningful service opportunities for students and increasing awareness of food insecurity on college campuses. WKU Student Dietetics Association has resulted in creative awareness activities for the pantry, such as demonstrations of how to use food pantry staples. SDA also partnered with the Office of Sustainability to create a list of useful donations specifically for college students. Faculty, staff, and departments organize drives and raise awareness through campus events such as the Food for Fines program, in which students can decrease their library fine balance with a food donation. The WKU Garden Commons, a student-supported garden located at the Office of Sustainability, provides fresh fruits & vegetables for the pantry. The WKU Garden Commons has recently expanded to add a second garden in partnership with the College Heights Foundation. Documentation of patrons and food pantry metrics was updated in August 2019. A Qualtrics software form was improved to simplify the visitor experience and is available in multiple languages. As on 2019, the office also collects metrics on pantry donations and volunteers.