Framingham State junior Bruna Barbalho knows what it feels like to have to rely on a food pantry to keep from going hungry. So when Framingham State University announced it was launching a food pantry and resource center for students, she was thrilled to sign up as a volunteer.

“I understand how important this resource is for students,” says Barbalho, a junior Liberal Studies major. “Volunteering here is an opportunity for me to help our community.”

Members of the FSU community gathered on September 24^th to officially open the Rams Resource Center (RRC) in West Hall. At its launch, the center was stocked with about 1,500 pounds of food and 232 personal hygiene items, all raised by members of the FSU community.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped make this a reality,” President F. Javier Cevallos said during a ribbon cutting ceremony. “It’s a challenge when you have to work or study and you are hungry. We can’t have that in our community. This is going to be a great resource for our students in need.”

Efforts to launch the center were led by Michelle Yestrepsky, the University’s Coordinator of Student Support Initiatives.

“The idea to have a food pantry on campus began in 2014 with the formation of a Food Insecurity Committee,” Yestrepsky says. “I surveyed the student body about the issue in 2016 and it really demonstrated the need for this type of resource.”

All items donated to the center are logged and students in need of food or other supplies can drop by and select from the items available.

Donations to the RRC can be made in several locations on campus, including in the Dwight Hall, the Veterans Center and the McCarthy Center. Donations can also be made online by visiting www.framingham.edu/give and selecting “Rams Resource Center Food Pantry” from the designation drop down menu.