EWU Community Pitches in to Support Food Pantry

The EWU community came together over the holidays to donate more than 700 pounds of food to the EWU Food Pantry, which helps students and employees who struggle to afford life’s essentials.

The gifts of peanut butter, chili, cooking oil, spices and other food items help ensure that students experiencing food insecurity can function and thrive, says Emily Migliazzo, basic needs navigator for the university.

“We are seeing more than half our students struggle with financial challenges” Migliazzo says. “We know financial aid doesn’t cover everything it needs to cover and that students are left struggling.”

Food insecurity is prevalent among college students. According to a U.S. Government Accounting Office report, an estimated 23% of college students, or about 3.8 million people nationwide, experienced food insecurity in 2020.

Closer to home, Migliazzo pointed to the 2022 Washington Student Experience Survey as an indicator of the challenges that students face when it comes to meeting basic needs.

Some 9,700 students attending 39 colleges and universities across the state participated in the survey, with 38% reporting they’d experienced food insecurity during the prior 30 days. Of the 453 EWU students who responded, 44% reported they’d lacked reliable access to affordable food.

The EWU Food Pantry, launched in 2019, serves 300-400 people a week, supporting the campus community and fostering student success.

“We’ve had students say things like, ‘This has kept me in school,’” says Migliazzo, adding that several shared they use the pantry as a primary food source.

As part of President Shari McMahan’s commitment to supporting community, she invited faculty and staff members attending her fall luncheon to contribute high-need items, such as shelf-stable proteins, like peanut butter and SPAM, and food for pets. EWU employees responded, donating about 200 pounds of food.

EWU’s four colleges raised a total of 370 pounds of cooking oils, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, condiments, spices, salad dressings, shelf-stable food and other requested items. Eastern’s men’s and women’s basketball teams and their fans, along with sororities and fraternities and other groups, also held food drives.

As 2025 gets underway, the momentum needs to continue, says Migliazzo, who serves as a case manager for EWU and sees firsthand the need that exists. In this role, Migliazzo connects students with health care, SNAP benefits and housing assistance as they work toward earning a degree and a financially secure future.

Master of social work student Madilyn Rosaline Fisher, 21, manages the food pantry. The paid graduate student position is providing her with hands-on experience that relates to larger career plans.

“I’m also using this position as my practicum for my program, so I’ll have a bit of experience with the basic needs side of things,” Fisher says.

Fisher works with campus food-drive organizers, 2nd Harvest, Northwest Harvest, Cheney Food Pantry, Washington Dairy Farmers, Seed Ministry and EWU Dining Services to secure food resources. The pantry receives a small percentage of student service and activity fees.

CHAS Health provides annual funding to purchase hygiene supplies. EWU employees, alumni and other supporters donate to the Food Pantry Fund, which helps to cover overhead and costs to secure food less available through donated channels.

The position, along with a scholarship, supports Fisher’s work to connect students with university and government resources for food and health care – skills that support a career goal of helping children and families as a social worker.

“All of that has really helped me figure out what basic needs resources there are in the community and how to sign people up for those and then identify where gaps are in getting people to those services,” Fisher says.

Fast facts about the EWU Food Pantry:

• Students, faculty and staff are welcome.
• Location: Tawanka 129E
• Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
• Hours: Noon-5 p.m.
• EWU has eight cupboards, throughout the Cheney campus, and two in Spokane.
• 2^nd Harvest mobile market visit EWU for regular distributions.

How to Help:

• Give to EWU’s creative National Squirrel Appreciation Day fundraiser in honor of our favorite squirrels and humans.
• All food donations help. Most-needed items include cooking oils, spices, baking supplies, proteins and dairy products.
• Food donations can be delivered to the pantry during regular hours.