The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry recently held their annual Pack the Pantry homecoming food drive in order to provide three days’ worth of food to university and UAMS affiliates affected by food insecurity.
“This year’s Pack the Pantry food drive was actually a massive success,” said senior supply chain management major and chair for the Full Circle Food Pantry, Briana Roden. “We brought in over 35,000 items, which is a record. In the past we’ve brought in 23,000 items, and that was pre-COVID. So, for us to bring in 35,000 items is amazing. Our pantry is literally packed!”
More than 40 various Greek life organizations, registered student organizations, and on-campus offices donated canned and packaged food, as well as hygiene products, to make this year’s Pack the Pantry food drive possible and successful.
“Our Full Circle Food Pantry serves around 700-800 clients monthly,” said graduate student and pantry Alternative Assistance Coordinator Amber Obermaier. “Each client can receive food for three days at a time. So, they can come twice a week.”
The Full Circle Food Pantry has food drives sporadically. The Pack the Pantry Homecoming food drive is the main food drive hosted and initiated by the pantry, Roden said. Any other food drive can be initiated by a campus organization that wants to donate goods.
The Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry is a free resource on campus. To receive assistance, only three things are required: your name, student ID, and the number of people in your household. The Full Circle Food Pantry does not require any information about income level.
The Full Circle Food Pantry also offers an outside locker pick-up option, Roden said. This is available for clients who do not want to be seen visiting the pantry. Clients can go to these lockers any time, day or night, to receive their food without having to be seen visiting the food pantry.
Obermaier describes the most rewarding part of the Full Circle Food Pantry as being able to witness firsthand how much these food and hygiene products mean to pantry clients. Obermaier said university students and staff are thankful for years to come that the Jane B. Gearhart Full Circle Food pantry was able to help get them through a tough time.
