Students help students through Pack Meal Share Program
Pack Essentials is reaching out to the student body for support in their semi-annual drive for Pack Meal Share donations. The Pack Meal Share program was developed in 2018 through collaboration between Student Government, NC State Dining, and the Ombuds office as a way for students to directly support their peers.
The program allows students with a Flex meal plan to donate any remaining guest swipes to students in need. Swipes are distributed to students that apply for aid through Pack Essentials and can be active on Wolfpack One cards in a matter of hours.
“One thing that makes this program so special,” Mike Giancola, NC State’s assistant vice provost and student ombudsperson, said, “is that it’s direct and immediate. Students who are experiencing food insecurity can apply to Pack Essentials and have meal swipes available so they can eat in the dining halls the same day.” A survey taken in 2017 of NC State students, before the Pack Meal Share program began, indicated that almost 15% of students had experienced some form of food insecurity in the last 30 days. This semester alone, there have been over 700 applications for Pack Essentials resources.
“There’s a benefit for students working through some challenges,” Giancola said, “If students are struggling academically, we want them to work through that because there’s potential for growth and learning. There’s no added benefit to students struggling with food insecurity or hunger. One student experiencing food insecurity is too many.”
The drive for Pack Meal Share will take place from April 24 – May 3, ending on the last day of the semester. Student Government will be tabling in Fountain Dining Hall during that time period, where students will be able to fill out a form with how many swipes they wish to donate. Students can also donate through an email sent out from Dining Teams to everyone with a Flex meal plan.
Students with questions regarding the Pack Meal Share drive can contact the student body president at sbp@ncsu.edu.
Students who are struggling with food or living insecurities can submit an application for Pack Essentials at https://dasa.ncsu.edu/support-and-advocacy/pack-essentials/.