On March 17, Joshua Bogaski-Baugh—Saint Xavier’s Executive Director of Student Success—was featured in a U.S. News & World Report article on food insecurity among college students.
Bogaski-Baugh stated that, “This article brings awareness to the issue of food insecurity across college campuses and what various colleges are doing to address it to meet the needs of their students.”
Sara Wood, a U.S. News & World Reporter, reached out to Bogaski-Baugh—on behalf of the University Relations Department—and invited him to speak on the importance of SXU’s on-campus food pantry, Champ’s Kitchen.
Wood wanted “…to learn more about Champ’s Kitchen and our other approaches to alleviating hunger on campus,” Bogaski-Baugh said.
Bogaski-Baugh says that Champ’s Kitchen was created “…in response to a 2019 nationwide survey of 167,000 students by Temple University’s Hope Center, which determined 39% of students experienced food insecurity.”
He continued: “With a high number of in-need, Pell-eligible students at SXU, Champ’s Kitchen offers students a quick and simple way to get the fuel they need to focus on their studies.”
Bogaski-Baugh noted that the food pantry was able to “…establish connections with local organizations and had three organizations that collected donations on behalf of Champ’s Kitchen.” In addition, they received donations from the SXU campus community—on an ‘ongoing basis’—as well as from individual departments such as “our Nursing Department,” said Bogaski-Baugh.
Champ’s Kitchen has also “…worked closely with [the SXU Diner] to find ways to collaborate for the purposes of donations.”
“At the end of the Fall [2021] semester, we allowed students to use their remaining meal dollars to purchase items for Champ’s Kitchen,” says Bogaski-Baugh. “We received an ample amount of food through this method.”
Alongside collaborating with food service staff, Champ’s Kitchen is currently working with the University’s Facilities Department to expand their food pantry in The Center For SUCCESS—in order “… to make the space more modular as well as looking to integrate a freezer to offer frozen food items which will allow us to provide healthier and more culturally inclusive options for our community,” Bogaski-Baugh said.
As stated on the SXU Website, Champ’s Kitchen is located within the Center For SUCCESS office in the Warde Academic Center.
Empty bins are placed outside of Room L-208 and across the University if anyone wishes to donate food, toiletries and perishable items. The on-campus pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bogaski-Baugh hopes that universities and colleges “…continue to bring attention to this very important issue to continue to address and alleviate food insecurity.”
“I think more universities should explore creating their own food pantries to support their students,” he mentioned. Bogaski-Baugh adds, “We have been able to engage with students, staff, and faculty as well as with organizations in the community.”
“It’s really heart-warming to see a community of individuals come together in the spirit of hospitality and compassion to help alleviate hunger at SXU. It is inspiring to see the reach of this initiative,” he said.