By Ashley Schaerfl & Chianna Schoenthaler

Pack Pantry began in order to ensure that no students, staff or faculty goes hungry while they are attending or working for the university.

The pantry was ran by Autumn Black, a now Colorado State University- Pueblo alumni and former member of the president’s Leadership Program, until she graduated in May 2015. Upon her graduation the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity took over the pantry. Black helped with the establishment and coordination of the pantry as a part of a nonpaid internship.

This fall the PLP freshmen class and Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity collaborated again to run the pantry as a way to help the campus community and ensure the needs are met. It opens two days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays temporary located next to the campus bookstore until the Occhiato University Center opens in the spring of 2017.

The mission behind the pantry is to alleviate food and hygiene hardship on the CSU-Pueblo campus by providing emergency food and hygiene items to CSU-Pueblo students, faculty and staff in need. The pantry is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all when they are in the pack pantry.

“It is an honor that our class project is the pack pantry. It’s a blessing that we are trying improve it so we can help others get through the month. A little item of food or toiletries can improve someone’s life dramatically and my class is proud that we can make that difference in someone’s life,” Jamie Huerta, a freshmen athletic training major and leadership minor student said.

Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado partners with Pack Pantry where items are received to help ensure it stays stocked. The pantry also receives donations from donors throughout the community and encourages people to donate. The pantry is willing to take various items such as protein foods, grains, non liquid dairy items, hygiene items, vegetables, fruits, oils and condiments.

“When PLP director, Shelly Moreschini, took on the pack pantry project, she saw the importance of giving back to our community. Our class shares this same value. I think the pantry shows students and members of the community that CSU-Pueblo values being involved in the community,” Alex Daugherty, a freshmen political science major and leadership minor said.

The pantry tries its best to accommodate all in need of help.

Every student, staff or faculty that wants to uses the resources from the pantry are asked to show their CSU-Pueblo identification card. After showing their ID they are required to sign in with their student ID number. People who go to the pantry to collect items are asked to only come once a week and are allowed to pick out six food items along with one hygiene item.