The life of a college student is already stressful. After the difficulties of the past year, the last thing most students need is to go hungry. Students dealing with food insecurity or struggling to feed their families can apply to the food pantry at SFCC. Students can find the sign up form under the For Our Students > Student Resources tab on the school website. 

            “The food pantry assists over 1,000 students per quarter,” according to the SFCC website.

            In order to sign up, candidates must be currently enrolled at SFCC and provide two forms of ID (student ID and an additional ID that verifies the student’s address). The food pantry is located in Building 17, Room 139, and is currently open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays.

            Due to Covid-19, changes have been made in order to optimize safety while still helping those in need. First of all, students no longer need to enter the building to collect their orders. 

           “While orders are being handled, we always wear masks and clean gloves,” said Sarah Knowles, the Food Pantry Director. “All [students] have to do is fill out a form by Sunday night to pick up their order the following Tuesday.”

           All pickups are done on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

           Other changes ensure that students are having their needs met. 

            “Due to Covid, we no longer have a weight limit for orders,” said Knowles. “Under normal circumstances there is a 15 pound weight limit, and students can only pick up three times per quarter. Now students can pick up twice per month with no weight limit.”

           Unfortunately, the food pantry is not currently taking any volunteers per Covid protocols, however, anyone wishing to donate is welcome at any time. To set up a donation drop off, students can park in Parking Lot 1 on the SFCC campus on any Tuesday between 10 am and 5 pm and call 509.533.4198 to notify the food pantry.

            There are plenty of other resources in Spokane for food, shelter, and clothing. On the SFCC website, students can find plenty of shelters, food pantries, and organizations that help people in need. Some of these include Our Sister’s Closet, an organization that provides professional clothing and personal hygiene products to women entering the workforce. The City Gate is a church that provides food and clothing, as well as physical and spiritual aid. No one is required to attend services in order to receive help. For more resources, students can check out the Community Resource Directory on the SFCC website.