With the J dining hall closed and grocery stores inducing anxiety, some students are relying on Humboldt State’s OhSNAP! pantry for food.
OhSNAP! will remain open for the rest of the semester, serving students Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. on the bottom floor of the Jolly Giant Commons. OhSNAP! can also deliver food directly to you if you can’t make it to campus (email mira@humboldt.edu for more information).
Oh SNAP! is an on campus resource with a goal of helping Humboldt State students get food. During the fall semester, weekly stands of fresh-picked produce are available to students. Cooking a nutritious meal can be financially strenuous, but Oh SNAP’s farm stand is available twice a week.
For students like HSU junior and microbiology major Matthew Peter it was their first year using Oh SNAP! to get their groceries.
“This is technically my third time,” Peter said. “Now I’m trying to make an effort in coming.”
The farm stand wasn’t the only service that Peter used, he was also familiar with the Oh SNAP! food pantry which provides nonperishable ingredients to make full meals.
Peter says he enjoys the farm stand because he feels canned goods can go to students that need it.
“I feel veggies are more volatile, for lack of a better term,” Peter said. “If there’s any leftovers they will have to be used that day, whereas cans can be stored for later.”
Since the farm stand sets up twice a week, students have the opportunity to attend both days which Peter says he has started doing.
Unfortunately, not all students are aware of the Oh SNAP! program. Valerie Hernandez, a HSU senior and art major, says this was the first year she is using the program and didn’t recall it being mentioned during orientation.
“Some people think they need to fill out paperwork, but no, it’s easy for students,” Hernandez said. “All you need is your student ID. I forgot mine at home but they can still help you.”
If you accidentally forget your ID, like Hernandez did, don’t be alarmed because the volunteers at Oh SNAP! can still pull up your information.
HSU senior and social work major Pand Moua volunteers at the Oh SNAP! farm stand every week and says the program also assists students in applying for alternative ways of getting food.
“We have a ton of resources for students on campus,” Moua said. “We even help with Cal-Fresh applications and faxing.”
Cal-Fresh is a resource that alleviates complications for students who do not have time to access the food pantry or farm stand.
The Oh SNAP! food program is located at room 114 of the Recreation Wellness Center. Moua says that for students with disabilities, the location can be difficult to access but there are resources on campus to help.
“Disabled students can use the Students Disabilities Resource Center for transportation and come get whatever they need.”
The services provided by Oh SNAP! goes beyond food distribution, it also ensures the well being of HSU students.
The growing season for local farms affects the operational days for the farm stand, but the program should be accessible for students even after finals. The academic calendar on HSU’s website has the farm listed until the end of the year.
Humboldt State student Austin Sani marches into the College Creek Marketplace with his friends and intends to do some damage. Sani has almost 2,000 J Points and he wants to buy as many items as possible for himself and his friends, because he is trying not to let his meal plan go to waste.
“I wish I had known there was a way for me to donate these points to help other students,” Sani said. “I definitely would have done that.”
Sani was not aware of the J Point donation program that started back in 2009. This was an opportunity for students who found themselves with extra points at the end of the semester. They were able to donate their points to be used to buy food for the Oh SNAP! food pantry on campus.
This year, the program has been revamped by Oh SNAP!, with the help of a $77,000 grant from the California State University. This grant is part of a system-wide initiative to better address the basic needs of students across the state.
Students will now be able to donate their points to be used by other students wherever J-points are accepted.
“The donated points will be put into a pot that faculty and administration will be able to give out to students in $30 increments,” Raven Craig, a peer health educator for HSU’s Health and Wellness Services, said.
Craig runs Oh SNAP!, and has a very critical role in making sure the donation program runs smoothly on campus.
“People have been asking for something like this for years, so I am very pleased that we are able to make it happen,” Craig said.
Students are able to visit the pantry or The J cafeteria to donate points. Already, $2,500 in points have been collected from donations and aid from the grant.
Oh SNAP! has been collecting donations this week from students who have an excess amount of points.
“I think this is a great program, and Dining Services really supports it,” Ron Rudebock, the Director of Dining Services at HSU, said. “It is really great to see students getting help, as well as seeing students donate to help their peers.”