Campus pantry stretched thin as food insecurity grows

Jenna Couch, Pastor, Crossroads Campus Ministry 

At Minnesota State University, Mankato, Crossroads Campus Ministry runs a year-round food shelf called Campus Cupboard. According to Rev. Jenna Couch, the pantry serves students and community members facing food insecurity, offering fresh, shelf-stable and culturally appropriate items, including halal meat for Muslim students. 

“We prioritize dignity, inclusion, and access,” said Couch. “Food security isn’t just about calories, it’s also about respect and belonging.” 

Students can visit once a week and take up to 30 pounds of food. But meeting demand is becoming harder. More than 200 students each week rely on the pantry, some shopping for households of four or more. 

“Campus Cupboard is just one small part of Minnesota’s broader emergency food system, but we’re already stretched thin.” 

Running the pantry costs about $3,500 annually for food, refrigeration, and supplies. Rising food prices and higher demand mean those dollars don’t go as far. The pantry depends on community donations, grants and food rescue partnerships like Cub West, but it’s operating at full capacity. 

“Any cuts to SNAP or TFAP would put even more pressure on grassroots programs like ours, which are volunteer-run and underfunded.” 

As broader federal nutrition programs face potential cuts, small local efforts like Campus Cupboard will be expected to fill the gaps. 

“Hunger across Minnesota will deepen as small programs like ours struggle to keep up.”