This month, the Office of Civic Engagement and Social Justice (CESJ) and Lang Peer-to-Peer Connect (LPPC) introduced a new food pantry. The pantry, located in the CESJ office, room 353 in the 65 W. 11th St. Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts building, provides free, basic, non-perishable items on a rolling basis for any students in need of food support.

The CESJ office established the rolling pantry in collaboration with the pre-existing food pantry in the University Center’s Event Café. Students can stop by the CESJ office to pick up food from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. without an appointment. On days when building hours are limited, the CESJ pantry will be open until the building closes. This accessibility was previously lacking, with only one food pantry open to students and the pantry reliant on the labor and limited hours of student workers.

As Lang’s hub for social justice and community building, CESJ works to create a “a campus climate that is a microcosm of how we would like our society to function,” according to their vision statement. The new rolling pantry combines a justice issue, the need for basic resources, with the office’s role as a community builder to create a tangible support system for students.

Isabella Cooper, a fourth-year culture and media student at Lang, member of LPPC, and user of The New School’s food pantry explained, “I pay for college myself, I work multiple jobs at a time, and I just couldn’t afford the cost of living especially in the city. Just taking the time to cook for myself is extremely difficult.”

LPPC, an initiative both founded and run by students, came about when the school reopened after the pandemic, serving to answer questions and ease uncertainties among students attending college in person for the first time. The organization has continued its mission to build community since then, bringing students together and answering questions regarding academics, resources, and other student needs. 

“This was [the students’] project. I’m the staff, but this was their brainchild,” Associate Director of Lang CESJ Aysa Gray said.

LPPC’s contributors have worked to adapt to the evolving needs of the Lang community, with their most recent project being the establishment of the rolling food pantry.

Gray emphasizes that the CESJ office aims to dismantle any feelings of perceived judgment for students looking to access a food pantry. “We’ve always had a snack pantry,” Gray said. “We have tampons that are free, masks that are free, tea if people are sick. I think for a while, we’ve been trying to understand where people are.” 

A university at the city’s center allows students the opportunity to immerse themselves in an experiential learning environment. However, this very benefit can also result in a lack of campus community that CESJ aims to provide.

“I think CESJ is a great resource just because they are willing to listen to these issues and if they can’t help firsthand, they can point people in the right direction,” Cooper said. “I’m of the mindset that food is community care and is a form of mutual aid.”

The new rolling food pantry is supplied by the Food Pantry in the UC and relies largely upon donations for supplies. The New School community can contribute through The New School’s Food Assistance page.

The rolling pantry will be tabling and offering free pantry items in the Lang café on October 8 and October 15 between 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Stay updated on the pantry through the @langcesj on Instagram.