West Chester University: Season Of Giving, Reason For Thanks: Keeping WCU Affordable For Students

Press release from West Chester University:

November 22, 2021

On September 13, State Senator Carolyn Comitta hosted a roundtable discussion at the
University to examine solutions to food insecurity on college campuses. Student advocates
and campus leaders currently facing these issues firsthand commented and state lawmakers,
university officials, and representatives of nonprofit anti-hunger organizations offered
potential solutions.

In Pennsylvania, lawmakers have introduced the Hunger-Free College Campuses Act (Senate
Bill 719 and House Bill 1363), legislation that calls for establishing a grant program
for institutions that take certain actions to eliminate hunger on their campuses,
including providing a food pantry and establishing a hunger task force. The bill would
also direct further study on the issue of food insecurity at Pennsylvania colleges
and universities in order to inform the development of additional long-term solutions.

Since 2016, WCU has made available a Resource Pantry aimed at supporting student success by minimizing food and basic need insecurity
and preparing students for life after graduation.

Demand has increased ten-fold since its opening. During the most recent in-person
academic year (2018-2019), the pantry:

The brainchild of Tori Nuccio, WCU’s Deputy Director of Financial Aid and coordinator
for the WCU Promise Program to support homeless and foster youth, the pantry is open to all WCU students. It
is central to upholding the University’s mission to ensure student success and provide
access to a college education, regardless of financial circumstances. Offering a supply
of non-perishable food, fresh produce from campus gardens, personal care items, school
supplies, and winter and career clothing, the Resource Pantry helps eliminate barriers
to degree completion and empowers students to learn independent living skills and
achieve long-term stability.

Said Nuccio, “WCU has strived to remove financial barriers and care for our students
in need with the creation of emergency funds, a Resource Pantry, and a campus support Promise Program for homeless and foster youth. However, this year the University has acknowledged
more families facing harder times and therefore has stepped up to find new and improved
ways to meet students where they are.

“What better way to do that then to offer free coffee, hot chocolate, bagels, and
donuts in the Quad for the remainder of the term and strike up conversations about
how students are doing and what they need. This continued effort to engage with students
helps us learn of continuing need and respond.”

Nuccio said those responses already include the following programs:

In addition, on September 22, Aramark presented a generous gift of $162,000 to support WCU students experiencing
food insecurities, including those who are student-athletes. The presentation includes $50,000 to support five WCU 14-meal-per-week plans ($14,000);
food donations for Sports Nutrition Fueling Stations ($16,000); and funding to support
a graduate assistant position to manage Sports Nutrition Fueling Stations ($20,000).
This is the largest single gift made to WCU by Aramark, a leader in the customer service
business across food, facilities, and uniforms, and the Presenting Sponsor of the
University’s Sesquicentennial Celebration.

And the Fund to Finish is a flexible emergency aid fund that offers small awards that
arrive quickly to ensure a student will complete their degree.

Addressing student success by meeting their needs is also the heart of 150Forward: The Campaign for West Chester University, the University’s largest-ever
comprehensive campaign. Launched in connection with WCU’s Sesquicentennial celebration on September 17,
the goals of this $65-million comprehensive campaign are:

Visit the 150Forward: The Campaign for West Chester University website to explore
each of our campaign priorities.

Learn more about WCU’s Resource Pantry here.

This press release was produced by West Chester University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.