Saluki Meals Pantry volunteers help a scholar. (SIU Carbondale picture)
August 01, 2025
Poshard poetry studying at SIU to profit Saluki Meals Pantry
CARBONDALE, In poor health. — A whole lot of Southern Illinois College Carbondale college students get a bit of assist in overcoming meals insecurity annually, because of the Saluki Food Pantry. A particular occasion on Sept. 29 that includes former SIU System President Glenn Poshard will kick off a meals drive to inventory the ability for the brand new tutorial 12 months.
Poshard, a three-degree SIU alumnus and former state senator and member of Congress, will current a free poetry studying entitled “Beginnings and Endings” at 11 a.m. within the Student Center’s Ballroom B. All who attend the occasion, held throughout Starvation Motion Month, are requested to convey nonperishable meals gadgets to assist inventory the cabinets. Financial donations can even be accepted, together with on-line/bank card contributions. Poshard plans to suggest that the pantry be added to the donation record for the Poshard Basis to contemplate when making charitable contributions.
Excursions of the pantry can even be accessible after the occasion. Free parking for the occasion might be accessible for group members in Lot 13, throughout from the Pupil Middle.
Influence by the numbers
In the course of the 2024-2025 tutorial 12 months, 280 college students and their dependents had been capable of acquire meals on the Saluki Meals Pantry to make sure their dietary wants had been met and permit them to give attention to their academic targets, mentioned Emily Spann, Pupil Middle affiliate director.
Greater than half of these college students visited the pantry on a couple of event, and 236 of them didn’t have a meal plan. Practically all the scholars who obtained meals attended full time, and greater than half had been working at the very least 11-20 hours every week. Over one-third had been between the ages of 18 and 23, and 63% had been first-generation college students.
For the reason that pantry opened in 2016, it has served greater than 7,300 Salukis and their dependents. SIU opened the pantry in response to analysis that indicated as many as one-third of school college students had been “meals insecure,” which means they had been unable to acquire an satisfactory quantity of meals and enough vitamin at any given time.
Donations all the time welcome
Along with accepting donations on the Poshard poetry studying, officers be aware that donations will be dropped off within the Pupil Middle administrative workplace, positioned on the second flooring, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday via Friday. E-mail foodpantry@siu.edu to rearrange for pickup of a bigger donation or in case your group needs to coordinate a meals drive to profit the pantry.
Donations of these things are particularly welcome:
- Beans (kidney, refried, black, chili, and so forth.)
- Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cornbread and different boxed/packaged facet dishes.
- Spaghetti or tomato sauce.
- Pasta (spaghetti, linguine, fettucine).
- Canned meat (hen, tuna).
- Canned meals (SpaghettiOs, chili, beef stew, and so forth.).
- Canned fruit (ideally in 100% juice or with no added sugar).
- Canned greens.
- Crackers.
- White or brown rice.
- Ramen noodles (hen, beef, shrimp).
- Peanut butter.
- Snacks (granola bars, path combine, chips, and so forth.).
- Dried soup or chili mixes or canned soups, chili.
- Breakfast gadgets (oatmeal, cream of wheat, breakfast bars, and so forth.).
- Different requirements, together with flour, sugar, jelly/jam, baking mixes, salt, seasoning.
Financial donations are additionally appreciated and will be made via the “online giving” tab on the website.
College students obtain sufficient meals without charge so that every member of the family residing of their family can eat for about three days. For extra data, go to the website or electronic mail foodpantry@siu.edu.
