By: Jacob Garza
DU Feeds, a Dominican program providing nutritious food supplies for food insecurity students, presented a panel at the 2023 Caritas Veritas Symposium on Sept. 19.
The panel consisted of Sarah Jones, an associate professor of nutrition sciences, Anna Martucci, senior and DU Feeds student manager, and Allyson West, activity director of STEM. Students, faculty members, and Dominican alumni came to listen to the panel speak.
All three presenters discussed the origins of the program, which began as a pop-up market in 2019, to its current residency food pantry located in Mazzuchelli 276.
Jones provided statistics conducted by campuswide surveys to present how many Dominican students suffer from food insecurity.
“With these surveys, for those who are food insecure, the majority have not used the market,” said Jones.
DU Feeds is currently a donation-based program, in which the food pantry depends heavily on student, staff, and alumni donations.
Martucci also explained how DU Feeds working to set big goals for its future regarding financial stability.
“Our potential goals for the future of DU Feeds are to focus on financial stability,” said Martucci. “We also want to pursue grant and funding opportunities, and eventually explore the nonprofit status and work with Beyond Hunger and Greater Chicago Food Depository.”
Anne Gardner, administrative assistant to the Dean of the College of Health Sciences, was also in attendance and is a huge supporter of DU Feeds. She recalled a recent story with a student that made her emotionally attached to the program.
“One summer, while working with DU Feeds, I gave a child a small can of food and that person began to cry,” said Gardner. “It was a very small amount, but it was the gift of nutrition and food. What I believe Sarah, Anna, and Alyssa are doing is beyond amazing and I cannot thank them enough for what they do.”
The panel closed with the discussion of goals and future ambitions for the pantry as the three hope to work with local pantries and food organizations.
Another campuswide survey will be sent out later this year as the pantry continues to be a source of food for all students.
jgarza@my.dom.edu
