In Delaware County, 17 percent of residents struggle with food insecurity, according to Feeding America.
By providing fresh produce and nonperishable food items Cardinal Kitchen, a student-run food pantry, is working to reduce food insecurity for Ball State students, said Caroline Koby, a Cardinal Kitchen volunteer.
RELATED: Cardinal Kitchen provides resources for Ball State students
Cardinal Kitchen received $6,500 to continue its mission for the 2018-19 academic year from Student Government Association (SGA) Wednesday. The $6,500, allocated from Amplify’s budget, was passed with a supermajority vote — meaning more than 75 percent of the senators voted to pass it.
Amplify president-elect Isaac Mitchell said the donation will come from Amplify’s budget, which has yet to be announced, unless senators vote to remove the donation from its budget later.
Last year, SGA provided 90 percent of Cardinal Kitchen’s total funding. Cardinal Kitchen received funding from only SGA and $700 from Giving Tuesday last year.
“Our mission is to reduce food insecurity and promote healthy eating on campus. We, as an organization, are available for all students,” said Koby, who also represents the organization as an SGA senator. “The amount we provide will likely rise.”
RELATED: Students elected to pro tempore, Cardinal Kitchen roles
Since Cardinal Kitchen was established in 2015, the amount of students it has served increased.
In 2015, it had 300 clients and 1,000 visitors, while in 2017, it has had 534 clients and 1,172 visitors. A client is someone who continually visits the organization while a visitor goes to the organization a few times.
Contact Liz Rieth with comments at ejrieth@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @liz_rieth.