While the Food Recovery Network (FRN) at FSU works to fight food waste and feed people by donating excess food from the dining halls, the hard work of individuals in our community working to put an end to hunger never ceases to amaze us. Despite the challenging times we face  right now, the FSU Food For Thought Pantry remains dedicated to providing free food to students in need so that they can focus on success in their classes rather than worrying where their next meal is going to come from.

The Food For Thought Pantry (FFTP), run through the FSU Department of Student Support and Transitions, serves as a resource for all currently enrolled FSU students and operates in the stadium at University Center A, Suite 4148. The FFTP has been operating since 2009, becoming a more well-used resource by the student population in recent years. Now, the FFTP is utilized by nearly 2,000 students. At the head of the FFTP is Haley Gentile, one of the Department of Student Support and Transitions’s Case Managers.

FRN would like to honor Haley as our first featured Food Recovery Network Hunger Fighting Hero.  To learn more about the impact she is currently making over FSU’s summer term, we asked her some questions:

How can students use the FFTP during regular University operations?

Haley: In the past, during regular University operations, currently enrolled students could visit the Pantry on the fourth floor of University Center A in the Department of Student Support and Transitions. Students were asked to present their FSU IDs and then were able to autonomously select items from the shelves to fill up to one bag per visit. 

How can students use the FFTP now? 

​Haley: The FTTP is committed to serving as many students as safely as we can. Until in-person classes resume, the Pantry is operating via a prepackaged bag model. During the Summer C term, the Pantry hosts distributions outside University Center A on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm. Currently enrolled students can register for an appointment via the link on our website: https://dsst.fsu.edu/resources/food-for-thought-pantry. The appointment form is updated weekly to reflect changes in our stock. Students can list dietary restrictions, allergens, and preferences on the form and Pantry staff adjusts the pre-made bags to reflect the specific needs of the student. When students arrive, we ask that they abide by social distancing guidelines demarcated through signage while we place any requested frozen items in their bags. Once the bag is completed, we place it on an elevated platform, step back, and then students are able to fetch their items! 

How can people donate/help the FFTP?

​Haley: The Pantry appreciates all members of our shared FSU and Tallahassee communities who are invested in addressing student food insecurity and contribute to our services. The easiest and safest way to contribute food goods right now is by purchasing items from our Amazon wish list, which is linked on our website. 

I would also like to draw attention to the emergency relief funds being raised by the FSU Foundation right now: https://foundation.fsu.edu/fnd-emergency. (Our Amazon wish list is also linked at the bottom of the page). Our institutional response to the novel corona virus is a multi-faceted effort and these funds have aided students facing hunger (as well as other interrelated challenges and inequities caused or exacerbated by the pandemic). 

What is your favorite part about your job?

Haley: I feel so rejuvenated each day by seeing how creative and ingenious FSU students are. No matter the challenges they face, the students we serve are innovating, developing alternatives, thinking critically, coping, forging supportive bonds, and acting with resolve. Consistent food access is one of many conditions that facilitates students cultivating this resilience. I feel privileged to play any role at all in that journey and to see the fruits it bears.

To support the FFTP and food insecure students at FSU, consider donating to the FSU Foundation’s emergency relief fund or donate some much needed food directly to the FFTP via their Amazon wishlist.