Little things that fill gaps help people’s dreams come true

Every Monday morning, mother and daughter Kristen and Danielle pick up about 400 pounds of food from local grocery stores, Smith’s and Fred Meyer.

They then deliver this food to Benny’s Pantry, Idaho State University’s (ISU) food pantry for students, located on the Pocatello campus. This food has been crucial in helping feed the increasing number of students relying on Benny’s Pantry to meet their needs, but the pantry does much more than provide food for needy folks. 

Lesa Crawford, ISU Student Care and Assistance Coordinator who oversees Benny’s Pantry, says that the pantry fills a crucial role in allowing students in need to be able to achieve their educational goals. 

Volunteers and student workers help keep Benny's Pantry shelves stocked for patrons.

 

Crawford has been in her position overseeing Benny’s Pantry for about a year. “This kind of work is where my heart is,” she says. “I love my job so much because I get to help students, help them find resources and avenues to continue their education when they might otherwise have to quit. I was a non-traditional student, a single mom. I know that getting my degree changed my life. It changed my children’s lives.” 

Rachel Nielsen, Benny's Pantry Student Manager, is a student at ISU studying anthropology and political science. “I see people everyday come into the pantry who are trying to achieve their goals,” she says. “Getting a college education is a dream for many people, a dream that is not without its challenges. Benny's Pantry contributes to the overall well-being and success of the community by relieving the stress of food insecurity for students. With it, students can know there is a safe place to get help.”

Kristen says that she wanted to find a way to give back to the university that had given so much to her daughter when she was attending ISU. She volunteers also because of the value she places on education. “It’s very empowering when people are educated or trained in something,” she says. “If students can stay in school and not have to worry so much about finances or where they’re going to get their next meal, then they can continue their education.”

According to Crawford, patrons to the pantry have tripled since 2020 and almost doubled this last year, which equates to a growth of about 30 new patrons per month. The pantry currently goes through about 4,000 pounds of food monthly.

Crawford says that the pantry has been developing and becoming more sustainable. “Before, we were just hoping we’d have enough food for those coming in,” she said. “There were students who would call on a Wednesday or a Friday and we would have to tell them there was no food here. It was so hard to tell students they had to wait until Monday for food.” 

Additionally, the pantry did not have the funds to order food on a regular basis. Crawford says that  this was devastating to the patrons. With the support of grocery stores, university units hosting food drives, and donors, more doors have been opened for inviting people to utilize the service. And thanks to some very generous donations from an anonymous donor and from the College of Arts and Letters Dean's Advisory Board (DAB), the pantry will be able to begin doing regular purchases again. Advisory board member Galo Medina shared that the DAB has funded an entire semester for the pantry.

“The Dean’s Advisory Board recognizes the critical need for addressing food insecurity,” Dean Kandi Turley Ames of the College of Arts and Letters says. “It's hard for students to accomplish their goals when their basic needs aren't being met. The DAB is honored to be able to support Benny's Pantry and the great work they do there everyday.”

Donations such as a new commercial freezer and refrigerator help provide healthy, perishable items for patrons to Benny's Pantry.

 

“These food donations help us know we can make consecutive orders throughout this next academic year,” Crawford says. “We will order from the Grocery Outlet. It will melt your heart what the owners do for this community. Every day they’re helping agencies across our communities. We’re very fortunate when I went to talk to them, they said they were going to stand behind our mission. I feel like they’re very dedicated to making sure this community has what they need. They’ve done so much in supporting us and giving us incredible deals.”

Shannon and Josh Pence, Pocatello Grocery Outlet owners, have indeed opened their doors and hearts wide to Benny’s Pantry, donating food regularly, and facilitating food drives at their doors. 

“Over the past two years, we have learned of the growing concern there is with food insecurity. It's a real thing and there are several organizations out there who are working towards making a difference and helping those who are in need,” Josh says. “Shannon and I are in a unique position where we can help these organizations. When you are a local business owner and you count on your community supporting you, we want to pay it back ten-fold.” 

Josh explains that when Crawford first approached them a couple of months ago and told them about Benny's Pantry, he and Shannon were immediately on board. Since then they have had their doors open to the volunteers from Benny's Pantry when they want to come to the store and set up to get donations. “We have seen huge success as our customers always rally and help to fill that bin they have with food,” Josh says. 

Supporters of Benny's Pantry and other food pantries in the community, Josh and Shannon say that everyone in the community is important for addressing food insecurity.

 

Benny’s Pantry is truly the result of the community rallying together to support students. In addition to grocery stores and donor funds, the Food Bank contributes a large proportion of food every month. Recently, some improvements and generous community support have not only increased the quantity and variety of food available, but also enhanced the pantry's sustainability and outreach efforts within the ISU community.

Key developments and improvements at Benny’s Pantry that have enhanced their ability to serve students include:

The Food Rescue Program: Implemented to collect surplus food from local stores like Fred Meyer and Smith's, including bread, bakery items, frozen meat, and dry goods, totaling approximately 500 lbs per pickup. This initiative has significantly increased food availability, allowing the pantry to support more students.

Expanded Access: Introduced "Free Bread Monday" and additional meat distribution on Thursdays, allowing students to access extra food twice a month beyond regular visits.

New Resources: Received donations of a new refrigerator from Dairy West and a freezer from an anonymous donor, improving storage capabilities for perishable items. Acquired new donation bins with wheels that are placed around campus, expanding the reach and convenience of donating food.

Financial Support: Received donations to fund food purchases, ensuring continuous availability of items throughout the year.

Mondays are a big day for volunteers at the pantry, when they can receive around 1000-1500 lbs of food. Having volunteers available to bring it in, check the products, and stock the shelves contributes immensely. 

Benny’s Pantry relies heavily on volunteer support to run. “We love our volunteers,” Crawford says. “It goes so much faster and is so fun when we have people.”

For Kristen and her daughter, volunteering at Benny’s Pantry gives them something purposeful to do together.

“We look forward to it every week, spending meaningful time together,” Kristen says. “It gives us a purpose and a way to connect with each other. We enjoy working together and meeting other volunteers.”

“Little things that fill gaps help people’s dreams come true,“ Crawford says. 

Many people in the community have provided valuable support to the pantry to fill these dream-fulfilling gaps, but the need is still great. One of the pantry’s biggest hurdles is employee wages. The pantry runs entirely on donations. During the school year they can only employ work study students, but those funds run out before the end of the school year. Crawford would like to be able to keep employees over the summer months.

“In order to keep reliable, knowledgeable employees, we need funds,” Crawford says. “It’s an important aspect of a pantry. If people have a familiar face at the pantry, it goes a long way for reducing the discomfort of our patrons. There is so much stigma involved. Keeping the same face as long as we can makes a big difference.”

Limited pantry hours are another hurdle that require employee wages to solve. “Our patrons are requesting us to be open more hours but we don’t have the staff,” Crawford says. “Our hours currently limit the number of patrons who can access the pantry.”

The primary goals for Benny’s Pantry include sustainability and being able to reach more people. First and foremost, the pantry aims to avoid running out of food by the end of each week. Despite receiving increased food donations, the growing number of patrons presents a constant challenge in balancing supply and demand. Additionally, there is a strong desire to extend the pantry's operating hours, a change frequently requested by patrons, which will require more staffing resources. 

“Benny's Pantry is just as important as all of the other food pantries out there” Josh says. “Benny's pantry is vital to the students and staff of ISU. When a student is trying to better themselves and things get rough, it's easy for some to put school aside and just work, but then it can be hard to go back to school. Having a place like Benny's Pantry at ISU can help make it easier for students looking for support. Whether it's Benny's Food Pantry, the Salvation Army, the Idaho Food Bank or others, everyone plays an important part in helping to fight against food insecurity in the Pocatello area.” 

Donations and volunteers are what keep us going! Here's how you can help:

Donate Food and Supplies:

• Drop-off: Bring food donations to the pantry during open hours (listed on our Facebook page at Benny’s Pantry ISU or Instagram @bennyspantry).
• Large Donations: For assistance with large donations, please email us or call our office to schedule a time when volunteers are available to help.
• Items especially needed:
• Hygiene Products: Hygiene products (shampoo, conditioner, bath gel rather than soap, things patrons can take in and out of the shower easily, razors, laundry soap, packs of laundry pods that can be divided into smaller portions so more patrons can get some).
• Fresh Produce: If people have gardens and produce that are overflowing we’d love to have that fresh food. It lights up our shelves. Fresh items are gold! 
• Can Openers: Can openers are a big deal. You’d be surprised how many people won’t take canned food because they don’t have a can opener.

Volunteer:

• Food Drives: Units and groups can organize and participate in food drives, utilizing donation bins set up around campus. The Benny’s Pantry team is happy to help you organize a food drive! Many partner grocery stores are happy to facilitate a food drive! We would love to get more student clubs involved.
• Assist with Food Pick-ups and Stocking: Volunteers are crucial for picking up food from donors like Fred Meyer and Smith's, stocking shelves, and organizing items. Monday mornings are a big day for Benny’s Pantry but volunteers are welcome anytime.

Monetary Donations:

• By Check:

Address the check to "ISU Foundation" and include "Benny's Pantry" in the memo line.

Mail to: ISU Foundation
921 S. 8th Ave. Stop 8050
Pocatello, ID 83209

• In Person: Drop off at the Dean of Students Office in the Student Union Building, Room 204.
• Online: Visit our giving page to donate electronically. 

 

Benny’s Pantry Contact Information:

• Email: pantry@isu.edu
• Phone: (208) 282-2794
• Volunteer Sign-Up: Groups and individuals can email us to access the volunteer sign-up calendar.