More than 2,360 items recently collected for Husker Pantry. You can help, too.

During the summer of 2020, while the COVID-19 pandemic was decreasing students' employment options and food security, the Husker Pantry distributed close to 6,000 items each month to University of Nebraska–Lincoln students to meet their basic needs for meals and household items.

The pantry is a one-stop campus resource to assist Husker students with food, personal hygiene items, cleaning products and school supplies. The pantry relies on donations to keep the shelves stocked and the weekly pick-up bags filled so students do not suffer from hunger. 100% of donations benefit UNL students.

"At the current moment, we're averaging 180 orders every week at the pantry. Although orders decrease slightly during the summer months, food insecurity and the need to help students remains steady," says Megan Patel, program coordinator for Husker Pantry. "More than 30% of Husker students already have or will be facing food insecurity and hunger at some point this year."

As the pandemic continues affecting day-to-day life worldwide, the upcoming summer of 2021 is shaping up to be another high-demand time for the Husker Pantry.

To meet this anticipated need, Husker students, the community and alumni came together for a Spring Food Drive during the last ten days in March. They collected and donated more than 2,360 items to build up Husker Pantry’s inventory for the summer months.

More items are still needed and the pantry makes it easy to get donations onto their shelves from just about any location in the world.

Two ways to send items to the pantry:

• Worldwide: Purchase online via the pantry’s Amazon Marketplace wishlist. Items are shipped and delivered directly to the pantry's location in the University Health Center.
  
• In Lincoln: Drop off locally-purchased items at one of 18 collection bins located on UNL’s city and east campuses. Find a location here.