Free pantry back at WWCC

WALLA WALLA–Students of Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) welcomed back a valuable resource in April with the return of the Warrior Resources Food Pantry. The pantry, which has been closed for two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopened in April.

The mission of the Warrior Resources Food Pantry is to support student success by helping students meet their basic needs. Organizers do this through food assistance, as well as information about community resources.

“Through the Warrior Resources Food Pantry, students have access to emergency and short-term food supplies, campus and community resources, and education on how they can best manage available resources,” WWCC Director of Student Life Nadine Stecklein said.

The Warrior Resources Food Pantry is open 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday and is free to all current WWCC students. The pantry has moved to a new and improved location—students can find the Warrior Resources Food Pantry in Building D at WWCC’s Walla Walla Campus. The pantry is located on the second floor near the Tutoring and Learning Center.

“Centralizing the location of the pantry improves access and also reduces the stigma of students needing to access the resource,” said Margarita Banderas, WWCC director of equity, diversity and inclusion.

There is a brief check-in process for this free service, but there are no restrictions or limitations for access. At the time of publication, more than 70 students have accessed the pantry one or more times since it reopened.

WWCC’s Student Government Association (SGA) provides staffing for the pantry.

“The Student Government Association wants to help students by bringing awareness and support for students experiencing food insecurity,” said Rebecca Tibbetts, president for WWCC’s Walla Walla Campus SGA. “The Warrior Resources Food Pantry is crucial to reducing the challenging obstacles that many students experience on their way to completing their WWCC degree.”

None of this would be possible without the support the pantry has received from the Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC).

“BMAC provided nearly 3500 pounds of food to the Warrior Resources Food Pantry,” Stecklein said. “WWCC and our students are grateful for this support.”

The BMAC delivery was in fact the first of many, as the pantry will continue to receive regularly scheduled deliveries of food.

WWCC students with questions about the Warrior Resources Food Pantry are invited to email [email protected].