A mobile food pantry is helping feed students at SUNY Purchase who are facing food insecurity amid the cuts to SNAP and the government shutdown.

Students and volunteers set up SUNY Purchase's mobile food pantry around noon on Wednesday.

"The mobile food pantry comes from Feeding Westchester, [it] comes once a month and it delivers to us between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds that we give to our community and our students," says Purchase employee Lizz Elvira.

Organizers say the food pantry began in 2019 and was designed to help combat food insecurity on the campus.

Student volunteer Orion Morgan says the issue is more common than people think.

"[It] definitely makes me feel anxious and sad that people are usually just a meal away from being hungry and have to worry about just another issue and stress among their college life," Morgan says.

A national study found that 23% of undergraduate students across the country face food insecurity.

At Purchase, about 300 to 400 people show up to their mobile food pantry every time they have it. Elvira says that number is now growing.

"It means that there's need, and we gotta take care of our people, and make sure that they're fed and able to do the work that they need to do," Elvira says.

That's why student volunteer Jay Barbeau says the work matters.

Organizers say they welcome food donations.

To learn how you can get involved, click here. https://www.purchase.edu/offices/student-affairs-and-enrollment-management/food-pantry/