Cal State LA Food Pantry – 2020-2021

Staff person wearing a facial covering, holding up a "Welcome to the Cal State LA Food Pantry" sign.

The Office of the Dean of Students measured the quantity of bags distributed from fall 2020 to fall 2021.

In partnership with the Partnership with University Auxiliary Services Dining Services, Food Pantry bags now include perishable items like fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, eggs, and cheese, as well as vegetarian and meatless options.

How does this program connect with social justice?

Cal State LA Food Pantry. An apple, a banana and a bell pepper. Sign up this week!

Food and housing insecurity can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of our students and, as a direct corollary, on their academic success. The Food Pantry serves students who, as a result of societal systems and structures, need additional resources and support in order to continue their academic progress at Cal State LA.

Outcomes

 

Description: Bar chart for the Cal State LA Food Pantry showing increases in the number of bags distributed and unique individual recipients between fall 2020 to fall 2021.

 

Table: Food Pantry Distribution from fall 2020 to fall 2021.
Term Bags Distributed Unique Individuals Served
Fall 2020 821 414
Spring 2021 2377 609
Fall 2021 951  

The Cal State LA Food Pantry and University Auxiliary Services distributed 4,149 bags of food between fall of 2020 and fall 2021. Based on the user data collected, we established the need that our students would continue to face during the 2020-21 academic year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. During bi-weekly distribution in fall 2020, we quickly realized that student needs were high as demonstrated by the uptick in users when we moved to weekly.

Next Steps

Staff member wearing a facial covering, carrying a paper bag of groceries to a parked vehicle.
  • Continue weekly service in partnership with UAS.
  • Explore what the fall 2021 and spring 2022 terms will look like once we reopen to full capacity.