The Lobo Pantry at Sul Ross State University in Alpine has been awarded a Swipe Out Hunger grant for $6,000.
The Lobo Pantry is a judgment free resource for students experiencing food insecurity or limited access to affordable foods founded in 2020 through grant funding provided through various COVID-19 emergency response and relief programs.
With support from the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and others, Swipe Out Hunger distributed $421,500 to over 600 campuses across the country to ensure no student has to choose between food and their education.
“We are so excited to be a recipient of this grant. Our students love fresh and frozen produce, milk and frozen meat,” said Katy Williams Director of Civic Engagement & Student Assistance, in a news release. “We have been limited in our ability to order and store these items. This grant is going to help us get the equipment we need to expand what we can offer to our students.”
According to data from Feeding America, Brewster County experienced a food insecurity rate of 14.3 percent in 2021, higher than both the state (13.7 percent) and national rates (10.4 percent), the release said.
In 2022-2023, 195 students utilized Lobo Pantry services like monthly pantry distribution, grab ‘n go services, and produce distribution days. Over 40 percent of pantry users in the same year came from counties experiencing higher food insecurity rates than Brewster County.
For more information, email [email protected].
