Max Out The Max: Student Food Pantry Tackles Food Insecurity At Emerson College

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Some Emerson College students with dietary restrictions and meal plans with few meal swipes are struggling with dining on-campus.  

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For Emerson allergy student Bianca Galleli, food options at Emerson have been slim. “It is always beans, rice, and pork, and respectfully they don’t cook pork very well,” she said. “ It's repetitive and not as welcoming.” After having an allergic reaction that required Benadryl, Galleli has been afraid of cross-contamination in the Dining Hall.

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But finding meals outside of campus has become challenging for both allergy students and students who are struggling with budgeting their meal plans with rising dining and grocery prices in Boston. This semester, Galley turned to the campus food pantry for support. 

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The food pantry, located in the Student Office of Success offers free food and supplies for students, staff, and faculty in need. The pantry stocks canned goods, fruits, vegetables, quick meals, hygiene items, and some warm clothing.

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“I learned about the food pantry last year and it was a godsend because I had a lot of health issues develop and sometimes before classes I didn't have time to wait for the Dining Hall staff to accommodate me,” Galleli said. 

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Beyond free snacks and groceries, at the end of the semester, students can donate their extra meal swipes and board bucks to others. The initiative "Max Out the Max” calls on students to use leftover board bucks to buy items to donate to the pantry. “Your Board Bucks will expire at the end of the year so this is an opportunity to give back”,  said Student Office of Success Ambassador Fadeelah Ahjani. 

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Ahjani also points out that students should not have to rely on a pantry to get their meals. “The fact that we have a pantry is only a temporary solution to an even bigger problem at Emerson College and the Boston area at large,” she said.