The average student has a lot on their plate. Maybe getting an A+ in all their classes is their priority. Perhaps it is surviving the stress of four years of school. We all have a goal or reason for being here at USAO. What all of us realize when we get on campus is that there is so much more to life on campus than mere classes. A growing concern for schools across the nation is hunger. Hunger happens regardless of having a cafeteria or a local Wal-Mart.

            Enter: Campus Co-Op. Here at USAO, we are partnered with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to have the Campus Co-Op. The Co-Op is supplied by the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma but also takes local donations. The service is run by Student Services and Nicole McMonagle, Director for Nash Library. The mission of the Co-Op, as said by McMonagle, is as follows:

“The Campus Co-Op strives to provide supplemental food assistance. The Co-Op aims to decrease the impact that food insecurities have on the academic success of our students. We hope to change the perception of hunger on campus and offer resources to students so that they may focus on the experiences uniquely available at Science & Arts.”

So, when a student’s meal plan runs out, they should go to the Co-Op to supply themselves with food that is FREE. I capitalize the word “free” so to emphasize its importance. There is no payments or tradeoffs to utilizing the Campus Co-Op. The Campus Co-Op has many uses for the students on campus, such as giving out hygiene products.

            This sounds like a wonderful program that everyone must be using, right? Wrong. Ever since USAO partnered with the Regional Food Bank, the amount of food given and students partaking have both gone down. It started amid the COVID-19 uproar. Many students were stuck indoors, and the free food was gobbled up. August of 2021 saw 559 pounds of food shipped to USAO. What’s it like today? March of 2022 saw 98 pounds of food shipped here. Why do you ask? Because less and less people are utilizing the Co-Op. There is little incentive and financial justification to buy food for people who aren’t eating it.

            I imagine we all wish we lived in a world where hunger was no longer a concern. Alas, that is just not the case. Statistically, there must be students who are starving themselves and stressing themselves about food. Let’s say you are one of the students who are eating well enough. Why should you utilize it? Two reasons: FREE and you never know what tomorrow will be like. Having a steady stream of emergency supplies is the most adult thing we should all be doing, as students. Let’s say you are a student who is starving and is food insecure; please utilize this program. There are no barriers to entry, just walk in.

            The low usage of the Co-Op has led to fewer supplies in total. There are still essential items for health and hunger, but less variety. That is the logical conclusion of any under-utilized food bank. The beginning of the Food Banks partnership saw much more variety with sugary snacks and diverse meal options.  The best thing we can do, as students, is to utilize the Campus Co-Op. All of us. Every so often, go get your FREE 25 pounds of food and hygiene equipment (Hygiene items don’t count towards the total weight. So, more FREE stuff.). If you are having a hard time making ends meet, you can go to the Co-Op to attain your 25 pounds of food and supplies.

The future of the Campus Co-Op looks promising. It will always be there. There are plans to make it more visible with advertising, which is what it so desperately needs. The Co-Op is a great program that all of us should use. Don’t believe me? How about Alex Strain, newly graduated? He utilized it while he lived here and will sing all the praises for the program. He says that the Co-Op gives out “many items to make good meals.” He has also said that the Co-Op is “useful because of the FREE groceries.” Those who do use the Co-Op would agree with Strain. It’s just too good of a program to pass up.

As a side note, if you are a student who is starving and hungry, USAO wants the best for you. The Campus Co-Op is staffed with the nicest people who will not judge you or make you feel less for coming in. So often people will suffer silently and not realize the amazing gift of getting help. We can all relate to that, but there is no shame in utilizing this program. The Co-Op should not be seen as a place for poor, hungry people. It’s for all of us.

Here is a link to a great article detailing the food insecurity in our nation by Health Affairs Forefront: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20220127.264905

Campus Co-Op hours during Independent Study Term in 2022 are as follows:

Monday: CLOSED

Tuesday: 11am-6pm

Wednesday: 3pm-7pm

Thursday: 1pm-6pm

Friday: 3-7pm

Saturday and Sunday: 3pm-8pm

They are stocked and ready to go!

Location of Campus Co-Op:

Lawson Clubhouse, across from the Starbucks.

Harrison Stone is a senior at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.