In an effort to tackle food insecurity, Medical Campus unveiled a refurbished food pantry space during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 5.
Located at 950 N.W. 20th St. in Room 1162 inside the student life department, the reconfigured area includes canned goods, condiments, cereals, powdered milk, vegetables and various kinds of spaghetti.
The room previously served as a storage facility until it was reconfigured and additional shelving was added after Thanksgiving.
Aside from food, the facility also has hygienic products like toothbrushes, baby wipes and diapers. An industrial freezer with perishable items such as cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, sausages, chicken and meat was also added.
“We saw the need to make sure we had a more comprehensive pantry with more items so that we would be able to provide for our students,” said Marisella Cabrera-Rodriguez, who serves as student life director at Medical Campus and helps operate the pantry.
Funding to improve the pantry came from a $4,000 combined investment by campus administration and the student life department and a $10,000 donation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Medical Campus site is one of several food pantries at Miami Dade College that had to be replenished after campus-wide shortages were reported last summer.
According to College officials, 10 to 15 students visit the food pantry at Medical Campus each week. It previously depended on faculty-led student donations to remain operational. Medical Campus hopes the new changes will help students remain focused on their academics.
“It’s really good to have that resource because it gives you peace of mind,” said Carlos Suarez, who serves as the Student Government Association president at Medical Campus and has used the food pantry services. “It helps the students get by with their day-to-day [life].”
To use the food pantry, students must provide a copy of their current schedule and an MDC student ID. Each student is eligible to receive a 12-item donation per week.
“No one should have to come to school and worry about not having anything to eat,” said Nathaniel Gomez, who manages the Medical Campus food pantry.
The food pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the Medical Campus Student Life Department at 305-237-4213.
To make a donation, visit the college-wide food pantry website at: www.mdc.edu/pantry/.
