Pantry Full of Love

Lisa Borchardt ’92, professor of social work, learned that some of her students were struggling with food insecurity. In 2019, she started the Prairie Wolf Pantry by setting up a folding table with some non-perishable food items in the halls of Smith-Curtis. The Prairie Wolf Pantry continues to grow in size and importance as a vital support system. At NWU, where core values of community, diversity and personal attention are a top priority, the Prairie Wolf Pantry offers not only food to students, faculty and staff in need, but also the unconditional support that can only be described as love in action.

The Prairie Wolf Pantry is now led by a team of faculty and staff members, along with student organizations who volunteer to take over operational responsibilities from time to time. Upon hearing the proposal for a fully operational community food pantry, Rachel Pokora, professor of communication, was ecstatic to help it maintain a strong presence on campus. Dr. Pokora, who also serves as a Department Chair of Communication Studies and a Title IX investigator, is all about supporting students no matter the circumstance.

“One of the things I love about Nebraska Wesleyan is that we try to nurture the whole student.” For Dr. Pokora, interacting with students every day is her biggest responsibility. While in the classroom, she nurtures students by passing on her knowledge to further their aspirations and prepare them for life. She knows that every individual has their own challenges away from the classroom, and for some, that includes a lack of access to food.

The Prairie Wolf Pantry was created out of the compassion of faculty and staff who saw a need to support those around them.

Emily Koonce ’07 understands how impactful a community pantry can be in a university space.

“I lived on campus all four years I attended Nebraska Wesleyan, and I remember there being very specific hours that the dining hall was open. Because of my major, I often had to be present in a classroom or auditorium or observing, participating, or performing during dining windows.”

Jess Hohulin ’07 remembers similar experiences. “My senior year, I was working four part-time jobs, while trying to perform and finish my recital as part of my major. Having a pantry on campus would have given me more peace of mind when I could not find other times to eat.” 

Now a Major Gift Officer for Feed the Hungry, a non-profit organization in South Bend, IN, Jess has dedicated her career to feeding those in need of food all over the world. While her job requires her to arrange food donations at a global scale, she recognizes the critical role community food pantries play, especially on university campuses.

“Looking back, even being able to stop in once a month to grab some dry goods for meals would have alleviated some stress that came with my busy schedule. It wasn’t dire for me, but for others, this sort of thing may be the only source of food they have.” 

Emily recalls needing to sneak out of class early along with some of her classmates to try to get to the dining hall before they closed lunch service for that day. “If I didn’t get to the dining hall on time, I only had whatever food I had in my dorm room, which was slim to none. The other available option was to go and spend what little money I had at some place near campus.”

She would sometimes find herself struggling within the classroom as a result of not getting to replenish her energy with food. “Sometimes in classes, I would not be able to concentrate. So, I would pass a note to the professor or one of my peers asking if they had any food that they wouldn’t mind sharing with me.”

The presence of a space where all members of the university can have easy access to food and personal hygiene products is important. Dr. Pokora reflects: “I think it lets students know that the whole community cares about them; and I love that the pantry is also open to faculty and staff.

“Some students experience food insecurity because their busy schedules keep them from getting to the dining hall during conventional mealtimes. Some students who live off campus and don’t have a meal plan are one unexpected bill—a car repair or a sick cat—away from not being able to meet all their financial obligations. Faculty and staff can face the same issue. In these situations, a food budget is often the first thing to go. I am so glad that the Prairie Wolf Pantry can help alleviate the burden by keeping members of our community from experiencing hunger.”

When asked about the stigma surrounding food insecurity, Emily expressed that she felt guilty and slightly embarrassed because she had never been in a situation to ask for food before.

“I hope that the Prairie Wolf Pantry has made people feel less guilty with easy access to its resources. I also hope that it has given those who contribute to it an opportunity to feel needed in making a difference. If the pantry had existed when I was on campus, all those feelings of embarrassment or humiliation to ask for food would have been erased.”

Among all her responsibilities and commitments, Dr. Pokora says that she has never been involved with something at Nebraska Wesleyan so loving as the Prairie Wolf Pantry. “It feels really good to take care of each other and put love into action.”

Dr. Pokora hopes that the pantry can move to having more perishable items with the eventual addition of refrigeration. “We are so grateful for the space that we have, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

To learn more about how to use this resource or support those who do, visit nebrwesleyan.edu/inside-nwu/prairie-wolf-pantry.