In a study published by an Ursinus faculty-led research group in 2025, 48% of Ursinus survey respondents reported food insecurities (Berry et al., 2025). Some are trying to lower that figure.
Amelia Yaworski ‘27 has been spearheading an initiative to bring a communal food pantry to Ursinus over the past few months. Yaworski, who has a background of community service through the Bonner program, and faculty have connected with local organizations like the Montgomery County Anti-Hunger Network and Garden of Health to assess the feasibility and logistics of such a pantry.
In recent years, Ursinus has had initiatives surrounding food insecurity and waste, most notably the now-defunct Wismer on Wheels program. Yaworski, a GWSS (Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies) major, with minors in Health & Society and Anthropology, took an interest in reviving the program. “This year, when I got involved with Bonner I kept asking about [Wismer on Wheels] getting revamped,” Yaworski stated in an interview. “Eventually, it was decided that Wismer on Wheels would not be happening with our new dining staff [Parkhurst] because they have a better style of serving food that doesn’t involve much waste.”
However, food insecurity within the Ursinus community remains. A 2025 report published by a research group including Dr. Brie Berry (Environmental and Sustainability Studies), Dr. Mora Reinka (Psychology), Bella Dolan ‘25, Greyson Fusco ‘25, and Danielle Monaco ‘25 detailed notable food insecurity among Ursinus students, including 17% of survey respondents within the Ursinus community stating that they “would not eat for an entire day due to a lack of resources for food” (Berry et al., 2025).
Yaworski, alongside other members of the Ursinus community, looked to another alternative: a long-discussed food pantry. “Kelly Zayago of UCare explained the food pantry that people wanted to start and asked if I wanted to take it,” Yaworski said. “And I mean, I said yes immediately. I have always had a concern for issues of access and stability related to housing and to food and basic necessities.”
To lay the groundwork for the project, Yaworski and Zayago reached out to local organizations specializing in food insecurity. “So I’m primarily working with Resilient Student Network.” Yaworski stated. “They’re a general program that provides housing, food, and other supports for people in Montgomery County and surrounding area….they work with Arcadia and Gwynedd Mercy with their food pantries, and they’re connecting me with the Montco Anti-Hunger Network, which would be able to provide refrigeration.” In terms of potential offerings in the pantry, Yaworski hopes to include fresh produce, allergen-friendly, and dietary-inclusive options, particularly from the Garden of Health in Hatfield, PA.
Before the prospective pantry can open, however, there is more work to be done. Not only will more meetings with the organizations occur in the next coming months, but more hands will be needed. “I [hope to] be able to put together a group of students that can go there [Garden of Health] the first or second of every month and pick up food.”
The food pantry initiative is still in progress and requires more approval from administration. However, students interested in the initiative can contact Amelia at amyaworski@ursinus.edu.
Copyright © 2026 | The Grizzly