About Us
Who we are, where we came from, what we do.Our Story
In the spring of 2014, two Penn State students realized that for some of their fellow students, exams and grades might not be the only concern. Jake Ruddy and Alex Mendoca, along with support from the College of Agricultural Sciences; the Sustainability Institute; Housing, Food Service and Residence Life; the Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management program; Project Cahir; the State College Food Bank; and various student organizations, worked to open The Lion’s Pantry’s doors in November 2014.
A clear need for a student food pantry was expressed through stories from community members, conversations among similar organizations at large universities, and nation-wide statistics that show that hunger is a growing concern for college-aged adults.
My hope is the Pantry will allow students to focus on their education, not where their next meal will come from.
Our first few years:
2014
Founded by five students looking to make a difference.
2015
Officially opened for clients, served a few students per semester.
2016
Grew as an organization, open more frequently.
2017
Nominated as the class gift recipient, the Pantry facility was remodeled.
2018
Transition of leadership, established summer hours and downtown pickup.
Our Organization…
Share our values?
Our Goals:
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Promote awareness of our services
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Promote awareness of food insecurity on campus
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Expand open Pantry hours
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Reach more of our community
