Brendan Daigle, Coordinator for Multicultural and International Student Affairs and coordinator of the food pantry, stocks items in the food pantry located in Mims Hall Room 226. The pantry organizes items based on categories such as canned goods, non perishables, breakfast items, personal hygiene items and drinks.
The Lion's Roar/Larshell Green
The Southeastern Food Pantry provides a place for students to get food, beverages, personal hygiene items and other supplies. While most notably available after the recent flooding, these items are available to students all year. An interest in their services is especially pertinent during natural disaster.
Although students are usually the only recipients of items from the pantry, the recent flooding in south Louisiana has prompted the food pantry to make a change.
“Normally the pantry is for students to get food for themselves only,” said Brendan Daigle, Coordinator for Multicultural & International Student Affairs and coordinator of the food pantry. “But for the time being, if a student needs to get more food per visit for their family because of the flooding, we are allowing it.”
Although the Southeastern Food Pantry does not have an official staff, Daigle has utilized student workers from MISA to serve as staff for the pantry. Amidst the recent flooding, Daigle contacted Student Publications to announce the need of specific donations in order to have shelves stocked.
According to Daigle, needed items are rice, pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, crackers, drink and drink mixes, canned/cup fruit, packaged meals, such as microwaveable items and breakfast items, such as granola bars and toaster pastries. Non-food donations, which usually are not in high demand, include personal hygiene items, school supplies and manual can openers can also be donated.
“We cannot accept corn, green beans or green peas as we have a surplus of these items,” said Daigle. “All items donated must be individual size; we cannot open and divide large cans or bags of foods. We also ask that people please not donate expired food.”
Daigle admits that the food pantry currently has no increase in visits since the flood. She suspects that this has been because of some students’ lack of return to campus, or the receiving of food from other sources. However, donations are still encouraged and needed.
“It is important for the community to donate to the pantry at this time in the likelihood that there will be an increase in need for food because of the flooding,” said Daigle. “It is important to donate year-round because students never stop being in need.”
For more information about the Southeastern Food Pantry, please email [email protected] or call 985-549-3850.
“For the immediate future there are no changes planned for the pantry, but as the needs of our students increase, the pantry is always growing and adapting to address those needs,” said Daigle. “We will announce any changes as they arise.”