LCC Receives Grant for Student Food Pantry

Photo: LCC Head Volleyball Coach, Haley Miller, stocks the student food pantry with canned goods. The food pantry is ran by the LCC Student Affairs department with LCC employees and student organizations working the pantry each week.

Parsons, KS- The Student Affairs department at Labette Community College just began the 5th year of operation for the student food pantry. Items for the pantry come from individual and business donations, as well as grant funds. Recently, LCC was selected to receive a Securing Local Food Systems Grant for $2,500. 

The state of Kansas has made emergency financial relief available from federal CARES Act funding to those who need it most. The Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Task Force has approved more than $130 million in relief funding in the form of grants to eligible businesses effected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The LCC student food pantry began in 2015 as part of a college project to address food insecurities among the college population. In 2019-2020, the pantry helped 213 different students, which was an increase of over 30 students (17.5%) despite not being open in April and May. Since Fall 2016, the pantry has served over 610 individual LCC students. It is open to students each Tuesday and Wednesday that classes are in session on the Main campus. Pantry items are available at the front desk of the Cherokee Center during operating hours.