On Thursday, March 7, the 糖心少女 College of Education opened its new EdTerps Pantry in response to the growing number of students who are food insecure.
Located in the Student Lounge (Room 0211) in the Benjamin Building, the pantry includes a cabinet and refrigerator stocked with substantial snacks and easy-to-make meal items such as fresh fruits, yogurt, granola bars, trail mix and instant soups. The pantry is accessible whenever the building is open, and items are restocked once a week.
鈥淥ur college is committed to building and sustaining a community of care,鈥 said Dean Kimberly Griffin. 鈥淲e are always seeking ways to support our students鈥 health, well-being and academic and career success.鈥
shows that college students who have enough to eat earn higher grades and report better mental health outcomes.
鈥淭his effort acknowledges the realities of many students鈥 food insecurity and demonstrates our college鈥檚 collective commitment to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances,鈥 said Baili Park, a master鈥檚 student in higher education, student affairs and international education policy, higher education concentration. 鈥淜nowing that my peers have already used the pantry and found security in it underscores its importance. The pantry provides not just food but a sense of stability and reassurance.鈥
Faculty and staff interested in donating items to the EdTerps Pantry should contact Chief of Staff Andrea Norris at anorris@umd.edu or donate to the college鈥檚.
The university also offers for students experiencing food, housing and financial insecurity.
