A.S. Food Pantry: A Food Bank Open for All SDSU Students
The Associated Students Food Pantry provides nutritional opportunities for San Diego State University students
Created by Associated Students (A.S.) and financially supported by Aztecs Rock Hunger, the A.S. Food Pantry pursues the purpose of providing free nutritious food for San Diego State University students who may encounter difficulties. Whether a student needs help reducing their monthly grocery budget or just needs a quick snack on a study break, the food pantry is designed to meet all needs.
“You can be anyone. You don't have to prove anything. You don't have to have a certain income level or anything like that. The food pantry is open for everyone,” said Cordelia Levesque, a junior majoring in public health and the vice chair of the Aztecs Rock Hunger board.
Aztecs Rock Hunger raises money for SDSU students experiencing food insecurity. In last year’s campaign, Aztecs Rock Hunger raised a record-breaking total of $109,676, the original goal was to raise $100,000 and the challenge was overcome. This year, ARH set the same goal but there are expectations of surpassing it once again.
For Levesque, joining ARH is a personal connection, not only for her future career in nutritional service but also as a development on her path of helping others.
“Hard work never lies,” said Levesque. “Being on the inside and seeing how hard everyone has worked, makes me confident to know we did really well this year.”
During Covid 19, Levesque was a volunteer in food drives and basic centers. For her, that was a decisive moment on how she wanted to continue helping people in San Diego — and beyond — so they don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from. When joining SDSU, Aztecs Rock Hunger seemed like the perfect project for her to collaborate.
Of all the money raised by ARH, 20% is donated to SDSU's Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT). The remaining 80% raised supports the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank and the A.S. Food Pantry.
The A.S. Food Pantry, located on the second floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, is open for any student with a valid RED ID, to just walk in and grab what they need, and whatever fits in their reusable bags. There are no limits to the number of times that students can access the food pantry. From fresh fruits and canned goods to snacks and protein bars, there are many options for students. Most items are not limited unless it is specified with a sign.
The food pantry isn't the only initiative aiding SDSU students facing food, housing or other immediate financial crises. Some of their other projects include the A.S. No Waste Initiative, the CalFresh Program, and the Economic Crisis Response Team (ECRT.)
Senior student and A.S. Vice President of Financial Affairs, Leo Peña, has always been an active member of several leadership positions. But this year, he developed a particular interest in the Aztecs Rock Hunger project and joined the committee as their chair representative. He wanted to make a positive impact not only on students but also on the community around him.
“Coming here to SDSU, being a part of A.S. and ARH has shown me how much of a positive impact you can really have on people,” Peña said. ”My time at SDSU has definitely enlightened a philanthropic side of me that I didn't used to have.”
With altruist projects like ARH and student leaders like Peña and Levesque, more than 115 other students decided to volunteer this year to raise more money for this initiative. To date, SDSU has raised almost $825,000.
“At the end of the day, we are just trying to donate as much as possible. Everything counts,” said Levesque.
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The Associated Students Food Pantry is located at Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, 2nd Floor Landing. Open every Monday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wednesdays from 12 - 4 p.m., and Thursdays from 1 - 6 p.m. The food pantry will be closed 11/23 (Thanksgiving Day)
