Document Author: Kelsey D. Gardiner

Food insecurity is a growing concern in higher
education. As universities adapt to meet the
growing need of college students to access
adequate amounts of healthy food, food pantries
are among the most widely implemented food
security supports. However, little has been done to
measure whether this resource is meeting the needs
of students. This study aims to fill gaps in the
existing literature by using a cross-sectional design
to develop a novel satisfaction survey and measure overall satisfaction, use of resources, and additional
support needs of students utilizing an on-campus
food pantry. A convenience sample of 100 student
on-campus pantry users participated. The survey
consisted of a ten-item, investigator-designed
satisfaction scale, which demonstrated a high
measure of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .849).
Based on a five-point Likert scale (1 = stronglydisagree to 5 = strongly agree), overall student
satisfaction was high [x̅= 3.8]. Students reported
the highest level of satisfaction with friendliness of
staff volunteers [x̅= 4.55], location of the pantry
[x̅= 4.26], and availability of shelf stable food
items [x̅= 4.11]. Students reported lowest satisfaction with the selection of fresh fruits [x̅= 3.18]
and fresh vegetables [x̅= 3.21], and the selection of
dairy products [x̅= 3.59]. Most indicated a need for
additional support from the pantry site, including
school supplies (n = 48), hygiene and toiletry
supplies (n = 47), cooking utensils (n = 47),
information on other emergency resources
(n = 28), financial resources (n = 25), and recipes
(n = 25). More research is needed to better understand pantry-site satisfaction, identify potential
additional desired supports, and the impacts of oncampus food pantries. This study is the first of a
multiphase project that will continue to explore oncampus food pantries as an intervention strategy,
the student experience of utilizing food pantries,
and their potential impact on students.