The Husker Pantry provides basic food items and other things like toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, shampoo and toilet paper to UNL students at no cost.
Being a college student is hard, no matter the circumstances.
Between difficult coursework and balancing other life responsibilities, it is a time that can feel overwhelming for many.
Kenji Madison, director of the Husker Pantry, is familiar with this feeling and works to alleviate one of the most basic needs. Since 2017, the Husker Pantry has operated with one simple mission: to ensure no Husker student ever goes hungry.
“[The Husker Pantry] is a free resource to ensure that students have what they need in terms of daily staples, personal items, all the way to foodstuffs,” Madison said. “It ensures that the last thing that they’re worried about here on campus is where they can get something to eat.”
In its nine years of operating on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus, the pantry has made a remarkable impact on students’ path to a brighter future. This resource is crucial to many people’s success and ability to continue attending college and pursuing a higher education. In fall 2024, the pantry saw more than 3,500 visitors and distributed more than 34,000 items, according to Madison.
“All of those things that we were able to do in the fall translated directly into students’ overall sense of personal well-being, but also their ability to be able to complete their academic studies,” he said.
“All of those things that we were able to do in the fall translated directly into students’ overall sense of personal well-being, but also their ability to be able to complete their academic studies." — Kenji Madison
An important aspect of the Husker Pantry is its accessibility to all students no matter what their needs may be. The pantry is designed to be flexible and adapt to the diverse needs of everyone.
“Students join our campus in varied dispositions in their lives, but also in their responsibilities,” Madison said. “The pantry is an opportunity for students. No matter where you’re at on that scale of need, the pantry is there to help you with that need.”
The Husker Pantry relies heavily on its donors and has been able to make significant strides in its work with the support received.
“I cannot even stress the importance of the foundation funding and all those funds that come in from our giving campaigns. That is what fuels the pantry and allows us to be able to do what we do on a daily, weekly, monthly, semester basis. Without that, it would almost be impossible to do the work that we are doing there. That's how significant, how necessary that foundation funding is for us and for our operations.” - Kenji Madison
The impact donors have on the pantry is undeniable. It supports Madison’s vision to expand the pantry’s reach on campus. The generosity of the community has a concrete and lasting effect on the pantry’s operations.
“It is important that [donors] understand if you choose to give toward the pantry that this is what your funds are used for,” Madison said. “It’s not just sitting somewhere and we’re trying to think of things to do, but those monies come in and they serve an immediate impact to the thousands of students who utilize this service.”
To ensure that every Husker has the resources to thrive and further their education, please consider donating to the UNL Food Pantry Fund today.
