A new initiative organized by Sun Devils aims to help students who can’t afford food.

A recent study showed that 22 percent of college students in the United States are food insecure, meaning that they struggle to put food on their plates and make ends meet. This makes it incredibly difficult for students to succeed in their studies and keep up with their coursework. The new ASU food pantry was created by Stephanie Kaufmann, a senior who wanted to make a difference after watching a friend drop out of school because she couldn’t afford to eat, and Meg Bruening, a faculty member at the College of Health Solutions.

Pitchfork Pantry officially launched at the start of the year, with locations on both the Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campuses.

The food pantry gives ASU students better access to a sufficient quality of affordable, nutritious food. While many students, particularly freshman living on-campus, are required to purchase a meal plane, some will buy the cheapest option that only provides one meal a day.

An ASU sustainability grant allowed for the purchase of refrigerators, making it possible for the pantries to provide dairy and produce as well as pre-packaged food such as soup, pasta and peanut butter. In an effort to minimize food waste, Pitchfork Pantry is partnering with local restaurants and other food banks to make sure enough food is made available.

Pitchfork Pantry is managed by the Student Anti-Hunger Coalition, which also oversees initiatives including a university composting program in conjunction with ASU Zero Waste, and the Campus Kitchens Project, which is designed to recover cafeteria and dining hall food waste and repurpose it into new meals. The fifteen student members of the coalition bring the pantries to life, covering shifts, picking up and delivering donations, and organizing food drives.

Eventually, the goal is to have a Pitchfork Pantry on every campus. The pantries are open to all ASU students, regardless of class standing or campus, and they only need their ASU student ID.

The Tempe Campus pantry, located at ASU Health Services (South) Sonora Center, is open from 10 am to 2 pm on Wednesdays and the Downtown Campus location, located at the Taylor Place Demo Kitchen, is open from 6 to 9 pm on Sundays.

Pitchfork Pantry was recently nominated as a finalist at ASU’s 2017 Pitchfork Awards! The organization is up for awards in the categories “Most Promising New Student Organization” and “Changemaker Award for Social Change.” Learn more by visiting the official website for the awards!

Stay tuned to the Pitchfork Pantry Facebook page for updates on food drives and special events and opportunities!