with the idea but knew the student group wouldn’t be able to do this on their own, so they brought in partners, including Mower County’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), to help fund and stock the pantry with fresh, frozen and canned items.
​Since it opened in November 2017, more than 400 students – roughly 10 percent of the student population – shopped at the pantry, with 1,500 food items distributed.
fresh produce offered to students as well.
The Student Senate is working on increasing the number of food pantry donors and providing recipes to help educate students on how they can use ingredients available at the pantry and create simple, nutritious meals for themselves and their families.
Project organizers aim to expand this effort to the Riverland campuses in Owatonna and Albert Lea.