In the midst of the pandemic, Pard Pantry’s shelves were brimming. Foodstuffs, hygienic supplies and everyday commodities ran out as soon as they hit the shelves. Now, if one were to walk into Pard Pantry, they would find the shelves bare.
“Pard Pantry is very important to countless students and organizations,” Student Government president Matwos Tadesse ‘24 said. “This year, the plan was to operate Pard Pantry as it used to be. In the past, we had volunteer students who would work there, but that student has since graduated and members have had little time to devote.”
Student Government’s Equity and Inclusion Committee oversees the operations of the Pard Pantry. The current director of the committee, Shreya Raizada ’25, detailed some of the obstacles facing the Pard Pantry.
“Getting supplies and finding volunteers to run the Pard Pantry have proved challenging,” Raizada said. “We are working on a place to house it – yet another roadblock.”
Despite these challenges, there is still a clear path to reopening. Tadesse and Raizada have worked diligently to ensure that students will not be left in the dark come winter break. Raizada explained that the Equity and Inclusion Committee will move to open the Pard Pantry by winter break, ensuring that even when the campus becomes desolate, the shelves do not.
These preparations have involved tailoring the Pard Pantry to the people and organizations who use it most. This involves reducing waste while continuing to be an effective service to students.
“In order to gauge what is needed for Pard Pantry, we have worked with groups like the International Students Association who use the supplies of Pard Pantry during breaks when on-campus food is scarce,” Tadesse said.
This does not mean Pard Pantry will be off-limits to students who simply want supplemental food or supplies during the school year, however. When opened, Pard Pantry will accept donations and host food drives to supply all students on campus with the goods they need.
Disclaimer: Managing Editor Trebor Maitin ’24 is the PR and Marketing director for Student Government and News Editor Emma Chen ’24 is a representative on the Equity and Inclusion Committee. Neither contributed writing or reporting to this story.
