羞羞漫画

As food insecurity continues to affect college students nationwide, students, faculty, and staff at 羞羞漫画 organized a powerful initiative to support Saints facing hunger or financial hardship: a food drive for Storm鈥檚 Cupboard. The drive reflected both a collaborative effort and a shared commitment to ensuring students鈥� basic needs are met so they can succeed academically.

Storm鈥檚 Cupboard is an on-campus food pantry that also provides resources for students living outside the Duluth area. It offers a variety of food items 鈥� including non-perishable, frozen, and fresh options 鈥� to help sustain students for short periods of time. The pantry is available to any 羞羞漫画 student who requests assistance.

Meeting a real-time need

This fall, Storm鈥檚 Cupboard experienced increased usage, creating a real-time need for additional food and monetary donations. In response, the campus community organized the food drive, resulting in an outpouring of support:

• 736 total items donated
• 432 food items
• 304 toiletry and household items

According to Jessica Bortolus 鈥�15 (MBA 鈥�18), assistant director of the TRIO McNair Scholars Program, the drive’s success was fueled by strong collaboration across campus. Hosts at donation locations played a key role by promoting the drive and encouraging participation. Bortolus, who also serves as vice chair of Staff Council, noted that individually wrapped toiletries were especially impactful.

Additional staff and faculty further contributed to the effort. Jessica Ellingson, assistant director of Education Abroad and Experiential Learning, and Campus Minister Sammi Good Nelson 鈥�19 supported through their direct work with Storm鈥檚 Cupboard. Assistant Professor Amy Pocrnich served as the faculty representative, helping connect departments and encourage campus-wide participation.

Student leadership also played a vital role in the food drive. Political Science and Global Sustainability and Justice Studies double major Brennan Muhich 鈥�26, director of Belonging and Inclusion for the Student Government Association (SGA), served as the student representative to help organize and promote the drive. 鈥淪tudent participation is critical to initiatives like the Storm’s Cupboard Food Drive because peer-to-peer support has a powerful impact,鈥� Muhich said. 鈥淲hen students participate, it reinforces the idea that no one bears an individual burden and that we share responsibility for supporting one another. Student involvement helps reduce stigma, increases visibility of campus resources, and strengthens a sense of belonging by demonstrating that the student body is willing to act collectively to meet students’ needs.鈥�

Reflecting on the level of engagement, Muhich added, 鈥淪tudents were not only willing to donate but also eager to share the initiative with peers and encourage others to participate. It made me so happy to walk into the SGA office and see the student donation box piled high on multiple occasions.鈥�

The Storm鈥檚 Cupboard Food Drive was part of a larger community initiative during the season of giving. Student organizations and academic departments supported additional initiatives, including a freewill offering collected at the Music Program鈥檚 O Holy Night concert in December to benefit Chum. Campus Recreation also hosted its annual Giving Tree in support of the Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center.

Storm鈥檚 Cupboard is supported by donations from faculty, staff, students, and the area community. If you鈥檙e interested in donating, please contact Campus Ministry for more details.