Bellingham letter urges campus pantry to address evening student needs

Douglas B. Vandergraph says the last student to arrive at a food pantry often leaves with less choice than the first one in line.

Vandergraph wrote a letter to the editor on Oct. 28 regarding a report by Bodey Mitchell dated Oct. 16. That report detailed rising demand at campus pantries. Mitchell’s article included an account from a Western Washington University student who found fewer allergy-friendly foods available after classes ended.

The letter argues that a pantry full in the morning can still fail a student arriving after an evening shift. Vandergraph notes that food a student cannot safely eat does not count as assistance for that specific person.

Vandergraph, who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, praises the WHOLE Pantry for maintaining welcoming access and avoiding burdensome ID checks. The letter also cites the student-supported fee that helps sustain the operation. However, Vandergraph contends that access requires more than just low barriers to entry. It requires hours that fit unpredictable schedules and enough dependable staples left when the day ends.

The writer acknowledges that staff face daily decisions he does not make. Vandergraph uses a reference to Christian compassion to argue that leaders must see the person behind the donation total. The letter suggests that listening helps turn good intention into useful help.

Vandergraph poses a question for campus leaders, donors, and students. He asks them to look beyond the total number of meals distributed. He wants them to identify whose needs remain unmet because work schedules, disabilities, allergies, or family responsibilities make the current system difficult to use.