Food insecurity is a critical issue among college students, as well as the greater Colorado State University community. Consider this: In the last 30 days, 29% of students at CSU are experiencing food insecurity.

Luckily, services such as RAMS Against Hunger are working to better this issue. They just moved to the General Service Building thanks to a $400,000 renovation and repeated effort to establish food security at CSU.

The new pantry offers a “client-choice shopping experience,” similar to a grocery store, according to Michael Buttram, who serves as the basic needs program manager for CSU’s Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement (SLiCE) office.

It also serves as a one-stop shop for basic needs services, where people can get information about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as well as the Rams Against Hunger Meal Swipe Program. The new location also has limited free parking available.

Operating from the SLiCE Office, Rams Against Hunger offers a menu of services that support students, faculty and staff. These include the Rams Against Hunger Meal Swipe Program, which allows eligible students to apply for 60 meal swipes that can be used at any CSU dining hall, as well as the Pocket Pantries located across campus for students to grab quick meals and snacks.

This common misconception that services such as RAMS Against Hunger are only applicable to those who are in dire need of food is pervasive. These resources should be used by everyone and provide a great deal of aid to students at the University.

For more information regarding RAMS Against Hunger and other resources that are available, go to lsc.colostate.edu/slice/ community-engagement/rams-against-hunger and find out how you can help yourself or a CSU affiliate in need.