No Place for Hunger

Across Oregon, nearly 600,000 people face hunger. On college campuses, that need often hides in plain sight: behind backpacks, in late-night study sessions, in students quietly stretching groceries to make it through the week. At EOU, where many students are first-generation, rural, working part-time, or raising families, meeting basic needs isn’t occasional. It is a daily challenge.

That is why EOU is committed to ensuring no Mountaineer has to choose between their education and their next meal.

The EOU Food Pantry has become a steady source of comfort and dignity for students who need a bit of extra support. Stocked with food staples, hygiene items, and staffed by people who know students by name, it is more than shelves and supplies—it is a place where students feel seen.

Local partners have embraced that mission too. Community Connection of Northeast Oregon regularly provides fresh produce, essentials, and food staples, helping students cook nutritious meals on tight budgets. Their generosity reflects the heart of eastern Oregon: neighbors lifting neighbors.

Student-led programs like Swipe Out Hunger extend this spirit, allowing students with meal plans to donate unused “swipes” to peers. Added directly to a student’s ID card, these meals offer easy, barrier-free support.

Behind much of this work is EOU Benefits Navigator Pamela Frederick Williams ’20, who walks alongside students as they navigate resource assistance.

“Basic needs aren’t extras,” Williams says. “When students are hungry or unsure where they’re going to sleep, it affects everything: health, grades, mental well-being. When we meet those needs, students can finally breathe.”

For Pamela, this mission is personal. As a student, she skipped meals and stretched every dollar. She returned to EOU determined to make sure others wouldn’t face the same struggles alone.

That care was met recently with unexpected generosity. Spokane Teachers Credit Union provided EOU with a $7,500 gift to support campus food pantries—a lifeline at exactly the right moment.

“It was such a blessing,” Pamela said. “This gift will make a tremendous difference for our students.”

Faculty advocates, including Bill Grigsby, professor of sociology, and Jennifer Puentes, associate professor of sociology, help guide understanding of student hunger through teaching and research on inequality and food insecurity. Their work reinforces a simple truth: hunger is not a personal failure; it is a barrier we can remove.