Hungry? Let Barney ease your pain

Melinda Bullen, Diversity Resource Center coordinator and a student in the newly furnished center in the Student Union.

Forget your lunch at home? Are you out of food at home?

Barney’s Pantry offers a free food option for students in need.

Joy Smith, ASG director of community affairs, is responsible for Barney’s Pantry and encourages students to stop by as many as three times a week, for any three food items per visit.

This pantry is filled not just with food, but also hygiene items. Visitors who pick up a snack or lunch may also grab some of the latter.

There will be a stock of deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner and feminine items throughout the year.

Smith said the pantry will have “all sorts of ready-made meals” on hand.

The pantry stocks both ready-to-eat items and some that require a little more preparation, such as canned soups. This week, there were Hamburger Helper, canned vegetables and microwaveable meals available.

Refrigerated items are also stored in the pantry.

A section is devoted to babies, and includes food, formula and diapers.

Additional changes are in store. Smith hopes to put together bags with items that would make a meal for, say, a family of four, by later this year.

Eduardo Ortiz, ASG Vice-President, said the pantry experienced a “dramatic increase” in demand during the last school year.

***

Could you be among students who could benefit from Barney’s Pantry?

The first step is to visit the ASG office in the Student Union to sign in by I.D. number. The pantry is located next to the student government office but remains locked, so guests need an ASG member or someone at the front desk to let them in.

“Our goal is to help all the students we can help,” said Smith, the ASG manager.

The pantry is funded through student fees. Smith’s budget this year for the pantry and other outreach events is $10,000. Last year, approximately $4,500 was spent on the pantry, Smith said.

Donations are always welcome. A recent faculty food drive produced a large cart and several boxes of food, and more food drives are planned this year.

Smith said she also receives bread donations and hopes to connect with the Oregon Food Bank. Chartwells, Mt. Hood’s food service contractor, donated sandwiches at the start of the fall term.

For those whose need for food exceeds what the pantry can provide, the pantry has additional information available.

The pantry is funded through student fees. Smith’s budget this year for the pantry and other outreach events is $10,000. Last year, approximately $4,500 was spent on the pantry, Smith said,

Donations are always welcome.

There was a faculty food drive that brought in a large cart and several boxes full of food, she said. Keep an eye out for more food drives this year.

She said she also receives bread donations and hopes to connect with the Oregon Food Bank. Chartwells donated sandwiches to Barney’s Pantry at the beginning of fall term.

If your need for food items exceeds what the pantry can provide, they have information available to help fill your need.

Advocate Staff