From the choices of living on campus to living at home, food scarcity is still a common issue for UTEP students.
The Food Pantry at UTEP advocates for students and faculty that are facing food scarcity by providing nonperishable food items, toiletries or even a snack throughout the day.
Assistant Dean of Students Jaime Mendez Ph.D. and Assistant Vice President for Student Support Charlie Gibbons Ph.D., oversee the UTEP Food Pantry.
“A lot of our basic needs are for students, faculty, or staff,” Gibbons said. “We try to have a mindset that we don’t turn anybody away, so if somebody comes over here to this food pantry, they will not be turned away.”
UTEP students can select from two different plans at the pantry. One plan being a daily take where a student can walk in and select eight items while the weekly take allows them to take 20.
“People don’t have to sign up, just show up,” said Gibbons. “We recognize that students are very busy, and so if a student is having difficulty getting here when the hours are posted, then we’ll meet somebody other there when they’re available.”
The food pantry has a partnership with the Kelly Center for Opportunity and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger. This is a resource Mendez and Gibbons pass on to students, faculty and staff as those pantries have more variety in hours of availability.
“We have resources that we can refer students to,” said Mendez. “They are open over the weekends, or they have the ability to give more of a wider variety than what we can offer here because we only offer nonperishables.”
The pantry is donation based and has been taking in donations from students who drop off nonperishables in green donation bins across campus.
The pantry also received a monetary donation in 2023 of $20,000 and recently one made by a faculty member who had a grant that was expiring.
“Recently we were the benefactors of a faculty member who had a grant that was expiring and he called us and said, listen, I’ve got $15,000 for you but you got to spend it by Friday,” Gibbons said.
After receiving the donation, they headed to Costco and were able to stock up the pantry. The food pantry is also privately funded by recruiting people to make donations so that no students tuition goes into the pantry.
The pantry also provides hygiene products which are essential to students’ everyday needs. These items have also been donated to UTEP’s Foster Homeless Adopted Resources (FHAR) by Mendez.
“It’s not just food, we also have toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, different things that students may also need,” Mendez said.
Gibbons and Mendez recognize the rising cost of living and are willing to go the extra mile to help any student in need.
“If providing some food can keep them in school, we’re absolutely willing to do that,” Gibbons said. “If providing a little bit of funding to basic needs, to change a car battery, fix a flat tire, anything like that, we’re absolutely willing to do that because it means that they’ll stay in school and get that degree, and that’s what’s most important.”
Students can continue to donate to the UTEP Food Pantry through donation boxes throughout campus.
More information about the food pantry and hours of operation may be found at the pantry’s website.
Avery Escamilla-Wendell is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected] or on Instagram @by_avery_escamilla.
