Campus food pantry reaches out to students

OSWEGO, N.Y. — One SUNY Oswego program hopes to share their message of battling food insecurity with new students. 

SUNY Oswego’s SHOP program was created five years ago when students saw the need for more food resources on campus. SHOP coordinator Helena Buttons says the program used to see a high turnout, but covid put a road-block on that progress. 

“We’ve been working really hard to get our name out there so that students know that we exist. Coming back from COVID there are three class grades, virtually, that pretty much don’t know that we are here,” Buttons said. 

Those who work at SHOP want to spread the word about their program to the campus community. Graduate student Lucia Lombardi explains what students should expect if they come to use SHOP. 

“Once they have a user ID all they have to do is just start picking things up and then they can come right back here, we mark it all off so that our inventory is constantly updated,” Lombardi said. 

According to Buttons, you can get these products online or in store with the comfort of knowing that it will always be anonymous. She wants students to know that anyone can use this resource and no one should feel ashamed about it. 

“I see a lot of people think that they are not poor enough to use SHOP or think that ‘somebody else is going to need this more than me’ so I don’t want to go and take it but we are here for them,” Buttons said. 

Anyone can volunteer at SHOP by filling out an online form. 

SHOP is located in the basement of SUNY Oswego’s Penfield library. It is open most weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday they are open 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.