DeSales Designated a Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus
DeSales has made significant strides toward reducing food insecurity on campus, earning the designation of Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus by the state Department of Education.
“The designation is a wonderful starting point for our work to support our students,” says Jaime Gerhart, director of the office of community service and advocacy. “It will allow us to write grants for additional financial support and hopefully raise awareness on campus for faculty and staff to share our support services with their students.”
One of the major sources of support available to students is the DSU Hospitality Pantry located in the Dorothy Day Student Union. The pantry provides food and toiletries to those in need between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. There are also pantry boxes located outside of the Gambet Center, near the parking lot of Trexler Library, and in the Academic Success Center.
“I hope our community can see the diversity of students using the pantry. It’s used by international students and those without cars who don’t have access to toiletry items. It helps commuters in need of a quick snack, graduate students who don’t have a meal plan, students who run low on flex dollars, and more.”
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, more than one in three students are aware of someone who stopped pursuing their degree during the pandemic due to food insecurity. As a Hunger-Free Campus, DeSales is committed to supporting the well-being of its students through hunger relief efforts, raising awareness of assistance available to students, and teaching the community about the prevalence and negative impact of food insecurity.
Anyone interested in donating to the pantry or learning more about the University’s efforts should contact Jaime Gerhart at 610-282-1100, ext. 1889.
