Post Written By: Ann White
Before my first time venturing to The Lion
’s Pantry, I was not familiar with what lay in the land beyond East Halls. I was aware of the location of the Arboretum, but had assumed by appearance that anything further qualified as insignificant to a Penn State student. After passing the Katz Law building which has a side built entirely of crystal clear windows that seemingly never end, most of the buildings in the following area have a semblance to structures that one would find in an industrial park. The Lion’s Pantry is not immune to this architecture as its four dark gray metal walls and white metal roof join together to create what looks like a small-scale warehouse. As I slowly scanned the exterior, I distinctly noticed that the pantry had quite a few windows, but they appeared opaquely white – similar to spray on snow – prompting an onlooker to ponder what may be inside. Most notably at the main entrance was a large blue sign which adorned The Lion’s Pantry’s logo and the welcoming message of “operated by Penn State students for Penn State students” advocating that whoever enters will be supported and helped by their fellow students.
Upon entering the pantry, a large wooden counter with pamphlets and cards marked with The Lion’s Pantry logo immediately came into my view. I moved forward into the pantry to be then surrounded by off-white metal shelves on which the pantry items resided. They were labeled with homemade tags that organized the food according to categories. The shelves significantly supported the grocery store feeling that the pantry attempts to obtain for its users in order to promote the ideology that visiting the pantry is just like grocery shopping, except that it’s free. The goal is to feel familiar and realistic to students so that they are comfortable. Although cold to the touch, the shelves welcomed individuals as they housed the food that many could not afford themselves.
I started to walk toward the many food items beginning with canned vegetables, fruits, and meats. Reflecting on the organization of the pantry, I realized that the shelves and layout of their foods created an intricate maze that clients work through to locate what they need. Within the shelves there were plastic dividers that ensure certain foods stay in their rightful spots and don’t cross over to where they don’t belong. Although there was a classification system among the foods, I found more than a few items hiding in unexpected places. A dark green can of peas peaked out behind some canned peaches while some Aunt Jemima pancake mix had made the journey to join the elbow macaroni boxes. Additionally, some shelves held were pre-made goodie gift bags notes of encouragement from generous donors. The bags brightened up the pantry as they represented external love and solace from individuals who supported not only the efforts of The Lion’s Pantry, but also the students who utilize its resources.
A typical trip to the pantry includes students entering with stretched out arms to show us their IDs. We usually give a spiel to first time users letting them know that they can take a reusable bag and gather as much food as they need. We value anonymity and privacy, thus no questions are asked about personal information or socioeconomic status. Our primary mission is to provide a welcoming space that involves a simplistic process for the pantry clients. By achieving this, we hope that students will be encouraged to use The Lion’s Pantry as we address food insecurity one visit at a time.
