Read about the recent grant, which will be used for the UMB SNAP CHEF program and pop-up events, in the latest issue of “CATALYST” magazine.
Photo: Jole’ Ruff, community program specialist, Division of Student Affairs, who manages the daily operations of the UMB Student Pantry, hands out food and other products during a pop-up event. (Photo by Angela Jackson)
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) continues to reap grant funding to support the UMB Student Pantry, receiving nearly $28,000 from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) this fall, just months after getting a $12,000 Maryland Food Bank Food First Capacity Grant.
The MHEC grant, part of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program, is the largest the pantry has received. It will be used to strengthen UMB’s efforts to address food insecurity on campus through the continuation of the UMB SNAP on Campus and Hot Eats Fund (UMB SNAP CHEF) program and pop-up events. UMB launched the SNAP CHEF program, which provides a monthly monetary benefit to students that can be used to purchase hot and ready-to-eat food through Uber Eats, with the help of a $13,636 Hunger-Free Campus grant in September 2022.
From November 2022 to August 2023, 49 students participated in the SNAP CHEF program and received a monthly Uber Eats voucher. Because of complex schedules consisting of classes, required experiential education, coursework, studying, and personal responsibilities, UMB students have told Student Pantry representatives that it is not always feasible to prepare food items. The SNAP CHEF program recognizes the complexity of students’ schedules by providing supplemental funding for students who meet the program requirements.
“SNAP CHEF has been one of the most helpful tools UMB has provided me,” said a student who has used the program. “As a student who commutes, works, and has a full-time internship, SNAP CHEF gave me access to meals on days when I felt too burnt out to cook. I knew that my diet and health did not have to suffer.”
Courtney Jones Carney, DPA, MBA, executive director, Intercultural Leadership and Engagement, and director, Intercultural Center, wrote both grant proposals.
“Student hunger in graduate and professional school can be difficult for some to fathom,” she said. “It is an honor to lead initiatives that positively impact students’ experiences at UMB and allow them to fulfill the institution’s mission of improving the human condition.”
She emphasized that grants — and donations — are important for the Student Pantry.
“Grants like this are essential to the operation of the pantry, which is solely supported by grants, monetary gifts, and in-kind donations,” Jones Carney said. “Without funding and products from these sources, it would be challenging to assist the 22 percent of UMB students who have food insecurity.”
Read more about the efforts of the Student Pantry in the latest issue of CATALYST magazine.
You can read the Fall 2023 issue of CATALYST magazine, which highlights UMB's Center for Violence Prevention; the University's three new deans; UMB's many innovations such as the School of Pharmacy training students to administer long-acting injectables; community initiatives such as YouthWorks and workforce programs; UMB’s sustainability efforts to install a weather station; and much, much more!