This afternoon, all Columbia students received an email from Food Bank co-founders Michael Higgins, GS ’18, and Ramond Curtis, GS ’17, as well as members of the USenate Student Affairs Committee, announcing that the Food Bank at Columbia will be fully operational starting this September. This Food Bank will provide two weeks’ worth of non-perishable food to students with any level of food insecurity. In addition, it will provide food to the families of students with spouses and/or children. The Food Bank also has a permanent location, on the fifth floor of Lerner next to room 573.

This initiative “will allow students to focus their energy on their education rather than on how they are going to get their next meal”, Higgins and Curtis wrote. The Food Bank’s establishment is a great victory for members of GSSC and USenate, who have been working towards this program for semesters.

The Food Bank is currently seeking volunteers to serve on its committees for web design, communications, operations, development, and finance. Their application is here, and any questions or requests for food disbursement can be directed at cufoodbank@columbia.edu.

Dear fellow Columbia students,

As fall 2017 approaches, we are thrilled to announce that the Food Bank at Columbia will be fully operational in September. The Food Bank at Columbia will be accessible to all students who have any level of food insecurity and will disburse two weeks worth of non-perishable food. This will allow students to focus their energy on their education rather than on how they are going to get their next meal. Additionally, students with spouses and/or children will be able to receive food for their families. The new permanent space for the Food Bank at Columbia is on the 5th floor of Lerner Hall next to room 573 at the end of the East hallway.

This initiative will go a long way towards combatting the serious issues of food insecurity on our campus. Students can easily be overcome by financial burdens, and no financial constraint is more daunting than food insecurity, especially in the face of a challenging academic environment.

We are currently in the process of appointing committees for web design, communications, operations, development, and finance. You can find the application here, and we encourage all who are interested to apply. If you would like to become a volunteer, or if you need a food disbursement before we open, you can email us at cufoodbank@columbia.edu. Lastly, please like us on Facebook if you’d like to stay up to date with the Food Bank’s events and initiatives.

A special thank you to those who played vital roles in making the Food Bank at Columbia a reality:
Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate
Scott Wright, Vice President of Campus Services
General Studies Student Council
General Studies Student Life
The Office of University Life
Facilities and Operations

Sincerely,

Co-founder Michael Higgins, General Studies
Chair, Food Bank at Columbia

Co-founder Ramond Curtis, General Studies
University Senator

Josh Schenk, Sonya Nanda, and Izzet Kebudi
Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate