Pioneer Provisions, the free pantry at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for students experiencing food insecurity, has opened its new location within Glenview Commons. The pantry is now located in the northeast entrance of Glenview Commons. The new location provides more space, has new equipment and offers a selection of school supplies, household items and clothing from the new Pioneer Restore “Free-Store” for students.
Along with the new space, Pioneer Provisions is offering more fresh fruits and vegetables as well as milk and yogurt, made possible with $8,500 in COVID-19 Disaster Recovery Funding, awarded through the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. In collaboration with Dining Services; the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Corporate Relations and the UW-Platteville Foundation, the funding provides $500 per week to Pioneer Provisions to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for the 17-week duration of the spring 2021 term.
“Our new location makes the pantry more visible,” said Stephanie Young, registered dietitian in UW-Platteville’s Dining Services and co-advisor of Pioneer Pantry, the student organization. “Students visiting the pantry are enjoying the wider variety of fresh produce that supplement the shelf-stable items the pantry offers regularly.”
According to Young, food insecurity has been a growing problem on university campuses nationwide, even before the pandemic. A spring 2020 report from The Hope Center showed a 5% increase of students affected by food insecurity from the previous year. However, Young said she can see the recent changes to Pioneer Provisions making an impact already.
“We've only had a 1% increase in pantry usage compared to fall 2019” said Young. “However, we've had a 37% increase in usage in the first four weeks of the spring semester compared to the fall semester. The support the pantry has received has been breathtaking. Pioneer Pantry, our student organization, works hard keeping the pantry staffed with volunteers and stocked with goods. Donations from staff and student organizations continue, and Dining Services has helped keep our freezer stocked with entrees from their food recovery efforts.”
Pioneer Provisions is open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. or by appointment. The pantry is open to all currently enrolled UW-Platteville students. For appointments or donation drop-off, email pioneerprovisions@uwplatt.edu. Surplus UW-Platteville items are available to purchase at pioneerrestore.uwplatt.edu.