The goal and mission of Jack's Cupboard is to join together to alleviate hunger at SDSU. 

We’re raising money to help support students who are food insecure on the SDSU campus. Our main goal is to provide support to our students with non-perishable foods, but we also want to dream big! We aspire to offer fresh foods through a special voucher program where a student can get milk, eggs, bread, and fresh vegetables from our on-campus convenience store.

WHO WE ARE:

The Jack’s Cupboard team is spearheaded by a group of committed faculty and staff, including Kas Williams, Chris Kaberline and Kathie Erdman-Becker, as well as a team of dedicated student volunteers. Jack’s Cupboard endeavors to ensure food security for all SDSU students so that no Jackrabbit goes hungry. We understand that navigating personal and professional life during college years can be costly and difficult. Students often face tough decisions on how to make ends meet when it comes to balancing meals, tuition, and class supplies. Our vision is to create a campus where no student goes hungry, where funds are not spread too thin, and where food resources are not a luxury, but an essential.

OUR STORY:

Jack’s Cupboard is a free resource created to ensure all students have access to healthy food on campus, helping diminish food insecurity at South Dakota State University.

Our passion derived from not only hearing about the issue of food insecurity on campuses across the United States, but from seeing the need right here on our SDSU campus. Our goal is to ease financial concerns so that students can focus primarily on their studies, instead of worrying about how to afford meals.

To participate, a student simply visits Jack's Cupboard with their student ID and chooses items from the pantry. Since opening Jack’s Cupboard in 2018, we've served over 850+ students and an average of 15 students per week. 

*Recorded prior to Covid-19.

HOW WE'RE SUPPORTED:

We're supported by students, faculty, staff, and the community, typically through food donations. It's inspiring to see how our own students have become involved with this project, from donating their own canned goods, volunteering time, or sharing their meal plans! (Students with a meal plan can donate block meals for Larson Commons by visiting Card Services in the Student Union. Students wanting to donate flex dollars can also contribute at Card Services.)

Given current circumstances and nationwide health concerns, Jack’s Cupboard is currently open on a case-by-case basis. We ask that students compile a list of requested items to submit. We will pack available items that suit their needs and arrange a time for delivery or pick-up. To flatten the spread of germs, we are primarily seeking monetary gifts instead of food donations. Though not all students have returned to campus, we expect an increased demand in services. These circumstances are subject to change based on campus updates.

Where will the money go?

Until now, Jack's Cupboard has worked with a zero budget with support from in-kind contributions from Housing & Residential Life. Our hope is to increase our funding, providing more opportunities for our students! 

• $25 covers the average cost of items a student picks up during one visit to Jack's Cupboard. By making a gift of this size, you can help feed a student for a week.

• $50 provides a care package for a student, including personal hygiene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash).

• $100 helps purchase shelving to make Jack’s Cupboard feel more like a store than a food pantry, hoping to create a safer, more comfortable environment for our students.

• $1000 helps purchase a student ID card-access system, providing a more streamlined experience for our students.