Cuesta provides opportunities for students to get groceries for free to fight student hunger on campus
Photo courtesy of The Food Coalition of San Luis Obispo

By Clara Applegarth
Features Editor

Students are now able to look no further than Cuesta’s campus for their nutritional needs to be met at the new Cougar Food Pantry.

Set to open April 10, students are able to select from a variety of foods like quinoa, peanut butter, spaghetti, and more.

“We don’t want our students hungry,” said Anthony Gutierrez, Faculty Coordinator of the Student Life and Leadership Office. “We don’t want them leaving school or in classes hungry.”

The district was given a grant under the 2017-2018 Hunger Free Campus Support. This was a bill the state of California created under which California public universities, and community colleges are given funding to create food security for students, which includes food pantries.

Students will be able to take one to three items at a time, and even be able to request certain foods that may be missing in the pantry.

The pantry is located in 5305, next to the bookstore.

Hours of the pantry will be Monday, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Tuesday, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Wednesday, 8:30 to 10:30 am Thursday, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Members of the ASCC will help run it. The only eligibility to utilize the food pantry is that you are currently enrolled at Cuesta.

Cuesta plans to open a food pantry at the North county campus in fall of 2018 and is planning to partner with San Luis Obispo Food Bank then.