CPH food pantry feeds 400 students a week

Oh Snap!, a student-driven initiative on campus, serves Cal Poly Humboldt to help combat food insecurities students may experience. They provide food and resources to an average of 400 students per week, free of charge. 

In 2021, UCLA researchers found that more than 3 million California adults were experiencing food insufficiency, an increase of 22% since pre-pandemic rate. 

“Affording college is not easy, for anyone really it can be very pricey. I like the fact that Oh Snap! was built so that you have at least one thing, which is to have enough food,” said Oh Snap! member Elijah Smith.

With a student ID, students are allowed to take items from the pantry once a week, which includes a number of organic produce, toiletries and canned goods. Students are also allowed to drop by to get a snack daily during operating hours, according to Oh Snap! member Gisell Carmona.  

“We work with a local farmer to bring in fresh produce every Wednesday, about a dozen boxes of produce could be gone in a day. We try to have a wide arrangement of foods, anything from gluten free and vegan,” Smith said. 

Oh Snap! offers a free delivery service to students who are unable to make it to the pantry due to illness or physically unable to during normal hours of operation.

“If you feel uncomfortable or unable to actually come to the Oh Snap! pantry, you can actually sign up for Oh Snap! to come to your place and deliver to your front door. This is completely free,” Smith said. 

Oh Snap! will guide students through the CalFresh application, which is meant for low income individuals who meet federal income eligibility rules. According to Smith, 25 to 30 percent of the current student body at Cal Poly Humboldt is registered with CalFresh.

Other services offered by the pantry include a pop-up thrift store, which will open later this semester where items sell for around a dollar. They also provide free online cooking lessons on Zoom and the proper ingredients to cook that specific meal. 

Oh Snap! members hope to supply more fresh produce for students at the pantry in the future. They look forward to more local farmers supporting their cause, as of today they’re getting produce supplied by Lakeside Organic Gardens. 

Oh Snap! is located in the Recreation & Wellness Center (RWC), Room 122. They can be contacted by emailing ohsnap@humboldt.edu or calling (707)-826-4556. For hours of operation and more information visit their website hsuohsnap.org.