By India Bennett
Not having enough to eat because financial resources are slim is a reality for many college students. Food insecurity is a concern College of Southern Nevada is helping to ease.
An estimated 23% of college students experienced food insecurity in 2020, according to GAO’s analysis of student data from the Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study.
High costs of food makes this worse.
The Education Data Initiative reported that college students typically spend around $410 monthly on off-campus food.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average spending on food in 2023 was around $9,985 per consumer in the United States. This translates to approximately $832 per month.
“I’ve noticed a major rise in inflation since the Coronavirus pandemic,” said Emmy Berciles, CSN student. Berciles, who lives with her family, shared that she and her family adjusted significantly to rising costs. “With everything going up, it’s left me with fewer resources financially to support myself with groceries, rent and everything else.”
Expenses are high and CSN can help.
In 2019, CSN received a $300,000 grant from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension to launch the Coyote Cupboard, a food pantry available at each CSN campus. The Coyote Cupboard offers groceries, hygiene products, and school supplies to both students and staff.
“On average, we see anywhere from 75 to 100 students a week that come into the cupboard,” said Abraham Gomez, the Campus Life Development coordinator for CSN’s North Las Vegas campus. “About 80 to 90% of them are coming due to food insecurity: for groceries.”
“Students cannot learn if they’re hungry,” Gomez said. “We have to make sure that they’re not hungry and then they will succeed here.”
All three campuses host pantries. According to Gomez the West Charleston campus generally sees the largest number of students using the service.
Berciles, who attends the Charleston campus, said, “I’ve been here almost two semesters and I even used it during the summer. It’s been a huge help for me and my mom, who also goes here.”
Berciles relied on Coyote Cupboard to supplement her groceries each week, allowing her to stretch her limited budget; however, the challenge of finding nutritious options persists.
“I noticed that sometimes they run out of canned food and nutritious options,” Berciles said. Staples like noodles and grains are usually available, though fresh or more nutrient-dense items are harder to come by. She is grateful for the food though wishing for more nutritious options.
CSN relied on grant funding since 2019, but the funds are estimated to run out by March of next year. The college has proposed a $1 million grant request to the U.S. Department of Education to continue operating the Coyote Cupboard. “Unless we get that grant or find additional funds, it will be tragic; we may have to close down these pantries, which we know students need,” Gomez said.
The holidays are approaching; demand at the pantry will likely spike.
“We tend to do specialty holiday bags around Thanksgiving with items like mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and other sides,” said Nadia Czesky, Henderson’s campus life coordinator. “We’re hopeful we can do that again this year.”
Due to limited funding, the Cupboard is counting on donations to help students through the season. “We hope to repeat the Thanksgiving event, but budgets are even more restricted this year,” Gomez said.
They are planning on doing so and hope students will come to the pantry.
“There’s a lot of stigma attached to needing help,” Czesky added. “I know a lot of times our pride or shame can get in the way, but there really is no shame when it comes to needing something to eat. We’re here for that.” She emphasized that students should feel comfortable using the pantry, noting, “Your student fees pay for these services, so you’ve already contributed to it.”
The goal is to secure long-term funding to keep the pantry operational. “We want to find sustainable funding that will last us the next three-to-five years and to expand our pantries because they’re only going to get busier,” Gomez said.
Food insecurity is an issue many students face; Coyote Cupboard is there to help. Located in each campus’s Student Union, the pantry offers groceries, hygiene items and other essentials. As the holiday season approaches, remember, “Everyone needs help at some point,” Czesky said. “We’re here to make sure you have what you need.”
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 