By Trent Shadid
The Tiger Pantry at the University of Memphis is an essential resource for many students. The food and basic household items the pantry provides help many students stay enrolled with a sharper focus on their education.
In the spring, with the onset of the COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S., the role and importance of the pantry became increasingly evident. Students who temporarily or permanently lost jobs as a result of the pandemic turned to the pantry for assistance.
The pandemic presented its own set of unique issues for the Tiger Pantry itself. The pantry didn’t just have to make minor adjustments to remain available to students in such a desperate time of need, it had to change its entire model.
Prior to the pandemic, students were regularly in and out of the choice pantry where they made selections just as they would at a grocery store. The risk of COVID-19 forced the pantry to evolve into a bag pickup model.
Staff stocked bags with a well-rounded variety of items for students who could come
once a week for a contactless pickup inside the University Center. Tiger Pantry also
adjusted items within the bags based on dietary, medical, religious or other needs.
“The Tiger Pantry helps alleviate a basic fundamental barrier to student academic success,” said Dr. Justin Lawhead, UofM dean of students. “If a student is worried about food or can’t concentrate because they are hungry, it will impact performance and persistence. Student aid comes through traditional forms via scholarships and federal support, but it also must come through front-line assistance directly addressing student challenges beyond tuition.
“This pandemic has really demonstrated the importance of these needs for our students, and we strive to do all we can to address them.”
From April 1-July 15, Tiger Pantry served 527 students with as many as 120 signing up in a single day. The volume of requests had increased so much the pantry implemented a new online registration process for students to request a bag and schedule a pickup time. The pantry had to move its pickup location to a lobby area on the first floor of the University Center, allowing for better social distancing.
Tiger Pantry staff also organized bringing the Mid-South Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry
to campus in late April. The Mid-South Food Bank, a partner agency of Tiger Pantry,
brought an 18-wheeler of fresh food, including fruit, vegetables, meat, dessert, eggs,
milk, bread and pantry staples to the Central Avenue parking lot next to the Holiday
Inn on campus.
At the request of the Tiger Pantry, many UofM employees assisted in making the food drive a success, including University police providing much-needed traffic control. The food was distributed until it was gone, providing for 350 families and helping not only UofM students but the surrounding community.
Tiger Pantry is entirely reliant on donations from the campus and surrounding communities to support UofM students. For more information on how to contribute, visit memphis.edu/deanofstudents/sos/support-tiger-pantry.php.