If you, like me, are “of a certain age”, the late actor Adolph Caesar’s penetrating voice-over of that tagline, and the image of a student slamming a book shut in utter despair, is seared into your brain. This United Negro College Fund (UNCF) commercial is among the most memorable and compelling television ads of all time for a reason: its brutally realistic message happens to be true.

(Full disclosure: I was a young undergraduate scholarship student myself-though not through UNCF-and, decades later, as a parttime evening graduate student, I benefited from an employee educational reimbursement program and an educational tax credit).

Everyone is aware of the continuing high cost of tuition, but many forget that for the average student “filling the refrigerator is still a Hobson’s choice” between making tuition payments, filling her gas tank to get to class, and paying rent every month (Karen Carson, “Hunger and the College Student”, Trenton Daily, April 3, 2019). Thankfully, however, in recent years, college student food insecurity has appeared on our radar. Hunger on campus is finally getting our attention. House and Senate bills like the HR 1919 EATS Act of 2021 and the S1569 Student Food Security Act of 2021 to expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility by amending the Ford and Nutrition Act to include those “attending an institution of higher learning” were a lifeline during the pandemic, that is, until they expired nine months later. Campus food banks are now a hopeful answer to this growing problem.

Several months after my 2019 article for the Trenton Daily, Justin Willever, student reporter for VOICE, the student newspaper for Mercer County Community College, wrote of “signs appearing on (campus) bulletin boards reading, ‘Help Fight Hunger on Campus!’, announcing the opening of the school’s student pantry on the James Kerney Campus in Trenton in Rm KC 403 (Justin Willever, “MCCC Addresses Student Food Insecurity with New Trenton Campus Food Pantry”, Nov. 8. 2019).

The Pantry on MCCC’s James Kerney Campus at 102 N Broad Street in Rm KC 403, is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (just a few yards from the city bus stop for buses #603, 613, 624, and 607). MCCC’s West Windsor campus also has a student food pantry. Go to the college website or call for its hours and campus location.

Pantry Coordinator, Jodi Marra, recognizes the impact of how MCCC continues to meet the needs of its students to help them succeed in pursuing their education.

“MCCC is vested in the entire well-being of our students”, she writes in response to my email inquiry. “Many factors can affect how successful a student will be at college, and we strive to help eliminate some of those barriers. MCCC was awarded The Hunger-Free Campus grant from OSHE in 2021. This grant has been instrumental in expanding The Pantry’s services and resources at both the West Windsor and JKC campuses.” She adds, “Just because students need help with food insecurities doesn’t mean that it has to be unhealthy and full of sodium, sugars or preservatives. I am seeing more healthy options available, including fresh produce from local farms, more gluten-free options, and protein drinks.”

As a lifelong volunteer for a variety of nonprofit organizations dating back to childhood, I know from personal experience how serving others can expand and enrich a student’s school experience. Jodi Marra manages the team of dedicated student volunteers who help operate The Pantry.

“Although I am not a volunteer for The Pantry, we have student workers who help run the day-to-day operations. These students give their time and resources. Students have proactively submitted logos/marketing suggestions. Others have been instrumental in organizing food/donation drives. These students feel like they…are part of a community.”

Jodi Marra also recognizes the personal impact of serving others.

“I personally have been the Executive Director of Robbinsville Meals on Wheels since 2019. I started as a driver when my youngest son was in pre-school and it was something we would do together. My entire family understands the importance of this organization and my middle son is now in college going for (sic) special education so he can continue to help others.”

Think of The Pantry as an easy way to “pay it forward” by helping a hardworking student, like countless others helped you during your lean college years. (Years ago, a retired college instructor at my church would occasionally invite me over for lunch, no doubt recalling how she struggled financially during her own graduate school years.)

For more information, go to The Pantry website at: MCCC – Food Pantries at MCCC Campuses Are Stocked and Ready to Serve

You can help The Pantry online, by mail, or by clicking on the link to Amazon on the pantry website to order items to be delivered directly to the pantry.

A donation of a grocery gift card from stores like ShopRite, Costco, Wegman’s, or Walmart is a great idea now that the fall semester has begun.

Or donate the “old school” way by picking up extra non-perishable food items and toiletries during your own trip to the grocery store. (As I type this article, I have a bag of food in a cart by my door, ready to drop it off tomorrow morning. Really.) Get your family and friends involved too. Make it fun. Be creative!

Here are some suggestions (no glass packaging, perishables, expired items, or bulk items, please):

• Instant oatmeal/Individual bowls of cereal
• Soups with “pop tops”
• Microwaveable pasta or sides
• Crackers
• 16 oz water or flavored water
• Ramen/instant noodles
• Fruit bars/granola bars
• Rice/pasta
• Canned fruit
• Canned tuna or chicken
• Deodorant/soap/feminine products/toiletries

Check the Pantry website for more suggestions and information.

By the way, in 2013 the iconic UNCF tagline (“a mind is a terrible thing to waste”) was expanded to read, “…but a wonderful thing to invest in.”

So, what are you waiting for? Join me in investing in Trenton’s college students today!

(To reference another old, catchy tagline, “Just do it!)

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