COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KRHD) — The 12th Can food pantry will receive $125,000 yearly for the next 10 years to help feed all Aggies.
- Up to 19% of A&M students, nearly 14,000 Aggies, faced food insecurity in 2021, according to the Division of Student Affairs.
- A new $1.1 million fund, renewing annually for 10 years, has been established to combat food insecurity on campus.
- The fund will also support Residence Life and Student Assistance Services, aiming to ensure that no Aggie goes hungry and can focus on their academic and personal goals.
Broadcast Script:
As Aggies return for another school year and the campus buzzes with the excitement of football season, it’s easy to overlook the fact that thousands of Aggies are facing food insecurity.
“We’re really trying to bring awareness to this issue, which is also a problem at Texas A&M. Our goal is to feed our Aggies,” said Mazie Johnson, Executive Director of the 12th Can Food Pantry.
In 2021, a study from the Division of Student Affairs found that up to 19% of A&M students, nearly 14,000 Aggies couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals. To address this, the university has established a new $1.1 million fund, which will renew every year for the next 10 years.
“We have many students who aren't working right now because school is their full-time job. They may not have access to nutritious, affordable food—having only access to ramen, for example, which is not always the most nutritious option,” Johnson explained.
The 12th Can Food Pantry will receive $125,000 annually from this fund, allowing them to expand their hours and offer more nutritious foods.
“We prioritize providing nutritious food, including fresh produce and refrigerated and frozen items. We aim to give students not just a good quantity of food but also a variety of nutritious options,” Johnson added.
A portion of the $1.1 million fund will also support Residence Life and Student Assistance Services, with the overarching goal of ensuring that no Aggie goes hungry.
Johnson says, “It can be difficult to focus on class, research, or work when hunger is on your mind when you're trying to go to class or do research or work. And so we can take this, you know, feeding our Aggies, it will allow all of them to focus on why they're here and do their jobs to the best of their ability.”