SAU adds 18 mini food pantries across campus for students

MAGNOLIA, Ark. (KSLA) - Southern Arkansas State University is working to combat food insecurity on campus.

Mulerider Market on campus has been open for two years, making sure students have access to food.

Kathy Gean is the director of the Volunteer In Service To America (VISTA) program. Students in the program help operate the food market.

In an effort to reach more students, 18 additional mini food pantries have been placed in the different housing areas on the SAU campus.

Alyzah McGlasson attends SAU on a track scholarship and lives on campus. She said with her practice and work schedules, sometimes there is not enough time to eat in the cafeteria.

“It just really helps to have the convenience of it in the dorm, instead of having to make the trip across campus when it is late or early in the morning,” she said.

The mini pantries and Mulerider Market are made possible by community donations of food and money. SAU officials say they always welcome support to keep this program running.

“We want to bring more awareness to the main pantry, which is better stocked than each remote pantry. We want to in our community bring awareness to the issue of food insecurities on colleges campuses,” said Kathy Gean, VISTA director.

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