MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State’s Cardinal Kitchen continues to provide food, hygiene products and household essentials for students. They often see an increase in needs during the spring semester.
The campus pantry was created to help students who may be struggling to afford everyday necessities. Also, giving students a resource to fall back on especially when balancing school, work and other expenses.
“Cardinal Kitchen was created in the fall of 2014 by the student government association, mostly just to serve Ball State students and make sure food insecurity isn't as rapid on our campus,” Executive Director Myla Hamter said.
Cardinal kitchen is located at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center offering both non-perishable and perishable food items such as potatoes, apples, ramen and quick snacks. Also, offering hygiene products such as soap, toilet paper and paper towels.
The pantry is open multiple days each week and is available to any Ball State student looking to take the pressure off constantly buying everyday necessities. They provide an intake form which outlines students' needs, primarily asking if you have a dependent in your home, in which they will provide more supplies.
The increase of students later in the academic year are due to costs adding up and schedules getting busier. The organization keeps statistics on the most popular items and times of engagement. They then evaluate, making sure all students will receive what they need.
“We track what food items people select so we know what to buy more of and what we might not need as much of that week,” Hamter said.
In addition to food and hygiene products, Cardinal Kitchen relies on volunteers to keep shelves stocked and pantry running. These volunteers help organize items, stock supplies and make sure the pantry stays ready for those who need it.
“To volunteer we have the app Be Connected which is through Ball State,” Hamter said. “Once you get there you can go to groups and you’ll find Cardinal Kitchen. Under our events it will list all the shifts open for the semester, giving everyone a fair chance to volunteer to give back to the community.”
The goal of Cardinal Kitchen is to make sure students can focus on their education without worrying about where their next meal or basic necessities come from. Cardinal Kitchen is open Tuesdays 5 p.m to 7 p.m., Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Thursdays 1 p.m to 3 p.m. Students can also sign up to volunteer through Ball State's Be Connected app.
Contact Rayanna Goble with comments at rayanna.goble@bsu.edu.
