A fresh piece of fruit simply offers nutritional value that an instant cup of ramen noodles cannot.
Pierce College should offer fresh food options to food insecure students who already use other resources like St.A.S.H. and the Brahma Pantry.
Currently, students at Pierce have access to non- perishable food items. However, the school does not currently offer a fresh food option for these students.
California State University, Northridge has already implemented this as an extension of their food pantry. Once a month, the food pantry puts on a “pop -up” food pantry that offers fresh fruit and vegetable options. Located in different areas on campus, students can come to get fresh produce as well as receive recipe cards, so they can learn to make dishes with the food they take home.
While having access to non- perishable foods is a useful resource to have on campus, there must also be a demand for fresher foods that do not come in a plastic wrapper.
The fresh pantry could be run by the Brahma Pantry and happen once or twice a month depending on demand. Students could stock up on fresh foods and gain knowledge on how to cook affordable and nutritious meals.
The food could be provided by donations from students. However, student-based donations will not provide as enough. If the school could propose a contract with a grocery store such as Ralphs, the store could make a donation of fresh produce once a month for the drive.
The drive could be held on The Mall at Pierce. This is a populated area on campus, where most students pass by at least once a day. It is also centrally located near the Brahma Pantry and the Student Health Center.
The implementation of a fresh food bank on campus would give students access to fresh produce and knowledge of new and innovative ways to eat healthier foods.
