When the Bear Necessities Food Pantry opened at Lander University in September 2020, it was hailed as “a dream come true” by University officials and the community.
As the food pantry observes its fifth anniversary, the number of students being served has more than doubled. In Spring 2021, the food pantry served about 42 students per week, said Dr. Chase Worley, a Lander assistant professor of mathematics and chair of the Committee on Student Needs.
“Last fall (2024), we served 73.3 students per week on average,” said Worley, noting that Hurricane Helene led to a drop in attendance for a few weeks. “In spring 2025, we averaged 87.5 students per week.”
With the new semester underway, between 90 and 100 students are being served weekly, said Devon Watson, an MBA graduate student, of Fountain Inn, who coordinates the weekly staffing at the food pantry. “Students like having the availability to choose food for meals for the week so that they don’t have to spend their own money.”
The food pantry is an important resource in meeting critical needs for students. “It allows students to put more time in their studies and not worry about where their next meal is coming from, especially for those students that do not have full meal plans or live off-campus,” Worley said. “A student who is hungry cannot study. We are helping students do better both in college and in life.”
Addressing Food Insecurity on College Campuses
A study conducted in 2019 by Dr. Zach Rubin, a Lander associate professor of sociology, was the first to examine food insecurity on Lander’s campus. The study revealed that nearly 26 percent of the Lander students participating in the survey had not eaten for an entire day during the past 30 days because of a shortage of food.
Rubin, the first chair of the Committee on Student Needs, worked with Dr. Chris Sacerdote, a former Lander education professor, and University administrators, faculty and alumni to establish the Bear Necessities Food Pantry.
Food insecurity remains a concern throughout the United States. A recent report by the Hope Center for Student Basic Needs found that nearly one in four undergraduate students and more than one in 10 graduate students experience food insecurity. Nationwide, a 2022 study by Trellis Strategies found that more than 800 food pantries can be found on college campuses.
Since opening five years ago, “more students are attending each week,” Worley said. “We have cultivated an atmosphere that is open for all students, and we see returning students and new students each week.”
Widespread Support for Bear Necessities
In addition to Watson, the food pantry is staffed by two interns and many volunteers who rotate through each week. “We also have a determined group of faculty who regularly spend multiple hours each week invested in the pantry,” Worley said.
Food comes from monthly deliveries from the Food Bank of the Lakelands. “Some goods are purchased directly from Aramark at Lander, while others are purchased from stores such as Food Lion directly with funds made available by the University,” said Worley, noting that math professor Dr. Josie Ryan cultivated a relationship with Publix in Greenwood to donate a weekly supply of produce.
The public can donate directly by contacting the committee or by purchasing from an Amazon wish list, managed by the Committee on Student Needs. Other community members, such as local churches, have donated in the past as well through various drives, Worley said.