Since its launch in 2021, Flashes Fighting Hunger has increased its outreach with the CommUNITY Lab pantry and the Flashes Fighting Hunger mobile pantry.

The CommUNITY Lab pantry serves students part of the university’s CommUNITY Lab undergraduate cohort. Open to students from college access programs, such as the LeBron James Family Foundation and Trio Upward Bound, the program removes economic, academic and social-emotional barriers to their success.

“When I have time in between the day I might come in to grab a water and a bag of chips to keep me going throughout the day,” said Ronshai Jones, a CommUNITY Lab Pantry patron. 

The pantry provides light snacks, like mac and cheese, chips and water courtesy of university dining services and Meijer in Stow. Once the food arrives, the students themselves restock the pantry twice a week with the donated goods, Amanda Paulus, the community-engaged learning senior director said. The students are also able to use the appliances available such as a microwave, coffee maker and fridge.

Flashes Fighting Hunger funded the mobile pantry through donations from university dining services. The mobile pantry is another way to provide food to those unable to afford them on their own. 

“We are currently doing mobile pantries with the Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority, and that has allowed us to help reach some food insecure individuals that might be home-bound or not have access to transportation,” Paulus said. 

During each visit the Portage Metropolitan Housing Authority mobile pantry serves about 20 people, said Kalena Speicher, an AmeriCorps member at Flashes Fighting Hunger. Speicher added that while each visit may only have 20 people, this doesn’t account for the number of people in each family being fed. 

Partnerships with Akron-Canton Food Bank and Trade Joe’s provide much of the food for the mobile unit. While students aren’t able to volunteer on the unit, they can prepare boxes of canned goods for those in need that attend the mobile pantry handouts. The pantry offers different shifts throughout the week to students, each volunteer option shows where to go and what time to be there to help.

Volunteering for campus pantries is an opportunity for students to build their resumes as well as take the first step to working for non-profits.

“I first started my position because I was interested in food insecurity, and I wanted to have a career in non-profit work like food insecurity and homelessness,” Speicher said. 

Speicher now oversees Flashes Fighting Hunger events, such as the mobile pantry and the in-person pantries held on campus. 

“Volunteer, volunteer and volunteer,” Speicher said. “I think volunteering is one of the most useful experiences you can have, not only is it good on your resume, but it just gives you a new perspective on life.”

Bristol Lily is a reporter. Contact them at [email protected].