Anoka-Ramsey Community College recently opened a new food pantry on campus thanks to a partnership with HOPE For The Community.
The non-profit was founded in Blaine in 2010.
"Now, after 13 years, we are starting our seventh location at Anoka-Ramsey Community College and so we are super excited to serve the student body here," said Dr. Alan Goracke, founder and president of Hope For The Community.
Student workers helped stock the shelves before the new food pantry made its debut on March 20. It's open to all students with no questions asked. And that's important with more than one-third of college students reporting they've experienced food insecurity.
"We are not a typical food shelf for a college campus where perhaps they are focused on more immediate needs of the students," Goracke said. "This model is transformational in that students are certainly served and taken care of, but they get plenty of food where they can take it home to their parents and their family that need help."
Last year, Hope For The Community served 63,000 families and 1.8 million pounds of groceries. The Anoka-Ramsey Food Pantry will add to those numbers as they are expecting to serve 100 to 150 students each week.
"We are excited to have this for our students, grateful we are working with Al and Hope For The Community and wanting students to feel comfortable coming here," said Joyce Traczyk, coordinator of student engagement and activities at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
Learn more about the Anoka-Ramsey Food Pantry here.