For four years, the Brain Center for Community Engagement [BCCE] at Baldwin Wallace University has helped students in need by providing free groceries and hygiene essentials through various Pop-Up Pantry events, held twice a month. 

Students are welcome to come in and grab anything they need, free of charge, and no sign-up needed. The items provided at the pantries include hygiene and dorm essentials, fresh fruit and vegetables, snacks and non-perishable food items.  

Julia Stein, coordinator of the Pop-Up Pantry, and Hannah Dodson, student director at the Student Resource Center located in the BCCE, are two of the many individuals involved in hosting these Pop-Up Pantry events. They hope to reduce the stigma of the word “pantry,” noting that it often carries negative connotations.  

The purpose of these events is to ensure that students have access to basic essentials and to support them during times of need, regardless of their financial background.  

“I get a lot of people being like, ‘Oh my gosh, I have been putting off grocery shopping for a while because I just don’t have the funds…this is literally saving me right now,’” Dodson said. 

Dodson said many students get excited at the prospect of getting free food and other essentials, and even if a student feels they are not “technically” in need, it is readily available to anyone.  

Stein and Dodson observed that some students hesitate to take advantage of these events, fearing that it may seem as though they are struggling or that others may need the items more. Through these events, they wish to encourage students to take advantage of what is provided and show that it is okay to seek assistance.  

“Whenever I see that someone actually came to the pantry…it makes me feel like at least one person is hoping for this…” Stein said. “It’s really fun to see people actually look forward to it.”  

Stein and Dodson hope to introduce these events to more students, especially those who may still be unaware that they exist.  

“It kills me when people don’t know about the resources that they can use…because everyone, you know, is valid to using some help sometimes,” Stein said.  

For more information on the Pop-Up Pantry events, follow the SRC at @bwstudentresource and the BCCE at @bwbraincenter on Instagram.