Cougar Pantry’s New Partnership with the Clark County Food Bank Expands Food Options for Students

WSUV’s Cougar Food Pantry has partnered with the Clark County Food Bank to expand the variety and amount of food available to students.  

The partnership officially began in the summer after more than a year of planning and coordination between the university and the food bank. The pantry picked up its first order the week before the fall semester began, and it did its third pick-up this week.   

Through the partnership, the pantry can place orders for food from the Clark County Food Bank’s inventory at no cost. The pantry has been placing orders once a week, although it can place up to two orders per week.  

Breanna Bullion, a student employee at the Cougar Pantry, said that this new partnership “allows us to get more of the products that we don’t usually purchase.”  For example, they can now consistently offer items such as gluten-free bread, frozen meat, and dairy-free cheese. The food bank’s inventory also typically includes shelf-stable foods such as rice, beans, and canned goods, as well as fresh produce.  

“They’re able to provide a little bit more variety,” said Carmen Herrera, the Basic Needs Navigator for the Cougar Pantry, when talking about how the Clark County Food Bank helps WSUV. Herrera added that the additional food gives them more opportunities to provide vegan, vegetarian, and halal items.  

Marcie Walsh, the Program Director for the Food Plus program at the Clark County Food Bank, said the food bank receives food from the federal government, state government, and donations. The food is then distributed to about 50 partner agencies throughout the community, including WSUV and Clark College.  

Each partner agency can view the food bank’s inventory through an online ordering system and select the food it needs. Food bank workers then prepare the order for pickup. 

According to both organizations, the partnership is intended to be long-term. The pantry is still determining how much food it can order and how best to incorporate the food into its existing operations.  

“We’re still learning their system and what they’re able to provide,” Herrera said. The amount of food the Cougar Pantry receives from the food bank is measured by weight, which Herrera said has created a learning curve as they determine how much physical space different orders will take. Both Herrera and Bullion said that the last order they picked up was about 700 pounds.   

The partnership took more than a year to establish in part because the university and the food bank had to make sure the partnership met federal requirements. Walsh said the requirements included food safety and civil rights regulations, and the two organizations worked with their legal teams to ensure the requirements were met before the partnership began.  

The pantry is also using the partnership to purchase certain food items at a lower cost. Herrera said the pantry recently purchased cooking oil through the food bank, which could help reduce the amount the pantry spends on items that are frequently requested.  

Herrera said that by partnering with the food bank and being able to receive items at zero or little charge, they’re hoping to redirect those saved costs towards hiring more student employees and getting more food to stock the pantry.   

The partnership comes as the Cougar Food Pantry has seen increased demand for its services. Herrera said the number of students visiting the pantry during the first weeks of the fall term has already surpassed the number of visits during the same period last year.  

Herrera attributed the increased demand in part to rising costs in the economy and changes in FAFSA affecting students’ access to forms of assistance. Students are “able to utilize the pantry to help save costs so that they can use that money toward other things.”  

Last academic year, the Cougar Pantry distributed a total of 11,716.16 pounds of food to students through both their shopping and Grab N’ Go services and had 3,561 total visits.   

Walsh said the Clark County Food Bank has also seen continued increases in food insecurity across its partner agencies.  

“I think that by accessing the food bank, getting the healthy food and things like that, it allows them [students] to decrease what they have to spend on food,” Walsh said. 

Clark County’s Food Bank’s goal is to help reduce hunger while also addressing its causes.  Walsh said the organization is developing free programs focused on financial empowerment, nutrition education, and using affordable food. Some of those programs could eventually be offered to WSUV students.   

The food bank also conducts site visits with its partner agencies to provide support and ensure they meet program requirements. Walsh said the food bank works with partner agencies on requirements related to food safety, civil rights, and other regulations.  

For now, Herrera said the focus is on learning how to navigate the new partnership while also keeping up with student demand.