Students moved briskly between classes in the Student Services Center, but they couldn’t help but notice a long table filled with boxes of apples, sweet potatoes, bananas, and carrots. When asked if they’d like some free produce, most responded in the affirmative. They were more than happy to take a bag and fill it with produce, recipe sheets, cards on how to store and prepare their produce, and information about Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The first Wake Tech Produce Pop Up Market was underway, and from all indications, it was a success.
The issue of food insecurity among college students is becoming more and more prevalent. According to the findings of #RealCollege 2020 survey that were recently reported by the Hope Center, of the 330,000 students at more than 400 colleges and universities that were queried, 39% reported that they were food insecure in the prior 30 days. Melody Henderson, Director of Student Support Programs for Wake Tech Community College, sees the Produce Pop Up Market as a good way to address the issue of food insecurity and to provide access to healthy fresh produce to students who might not always have it in their diets.
Wake Tech Community College currently operates School Pantries on five of its six campuses: Southern, Northern, Perry Health Sciences, RTP and Beltline Education Center. Most of the Pantries, known collectively as “The Nest,” are open three days a week in two-hour shifts, and all go a long way toward helping to combat the problem of food insecurity among their student bodies.
Today’s Produce Pop Up Market is the first of many such planned events. In addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables, Food Shuttle Community Health Education staff were on hand to provide information on healthy eating and food preparation. Food Lion personnel were also present to lend support and answer questions as they arose.
The Produce Pop Up Market was funded as part of a generous $125,000 grant from Food Lion to Wake Tech to expand college efforts to help students and their families combat food insecurity. In addition to efforts like the Pop Up Market, the Food Lion grant covered the cost of new shelving in the five School Pantries and filled the shelves with food to help Wake Tech students in need.
Students dropped by to make their produce selections in a steady stream throughout the two-hour window. One young man, Jalen, chose some fresh fruit to take home. He said that while he doesn’t face the issue of food insecurity himself, he does realize that he needs to eat more healthily and that the fresh produce was a move in that direction. Another student, Jaie, availed herself to a little bit of all that was offered at the Market and was happy to see the Pop Up Market on campus. Emily, a staff member at the college, picked up a selection of fruits and vegetables from what was offered. She said, “This is beautiful. [Fresh produce] is expensive and this will help people get the food they need to eat healthy.”
Melody Henderson, who also serves on the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Board of Directors, said that whatever was left over at the end of the Market would be distributed to the various School Pantries on the other campuses so that nothing would go to waste.
The next Produce Pop Up Market will be held on Tuesday, March 31 at the Wake Tech Scott Northern campus on Louisburg Rd.