Western Washington University’s largest food pantry is rarely fully stocked. That’s because within a few hours of putting out more supplies, it’s all been taken.
“There’s never enough food,” Gina Ebbeling, Western’s basic needs resource navigator, said of the Associated Students Western Hub of Living Essentials (WHOLE) Pantry in the Viking Union. “Students have grown to really depend on this.”
The number of Western students who struggle meeting basic needs is stubbornly high: In fall 2024, about five percent more students at Western reported experiencing food or housing insecurity, compared to survey results from 2022, according to a new report released by the Washington Student Achievement Council.
Of local community colleges that participated in the survey, Northwest Indian College, which has pantries on its main campus at Lummi and six extended campuses, recorded startling high levels of basic needs insecurity. Nearly 90% of students experienced either food or housing insecurity in fall 2024, while 59.5% reported experiencing both. More than 27% experienced homelessness. Data from Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College is not yet available.
It's a statewide problem, too.
Statewide results surveying 11,320 students at 46 colleges and universities last fall show a 6% increase in students experiencing basic needs insecurity compared to 2022.
Western's results are slightly higher than state averages: 54.4% of Western students respondents experienced either food or housing insecurity, compared to 52.4% experiencing any basic needs insecurity statewide.
"There’s work to do trying to help our students address basic needs and be successful,” said Michael Sledge, Western’s executive director of student life.
Financial aid at state and federal levels hasn’t kept pace with cost-of-living increases, particularly in Northwest Washington, Sledge said. And due to housing costs being "fixed" month-to-month, Sledge said that "food ends up being sacrificed in order for folks to be able to pay to live.”
Students experiencing challenges meeting their basic needs can seek resources at Western’s Basic Needs Hub.
Recently, the university has focused on getting students connected to Department of Social and Health Services benefits. In November, a DSHS van on campus signed up 33 students for benefits, more than expected, Sledge said. Sledge said the school will have the van back in winter and spring quarters. Western is also working to conduct specific outreach to students who are likely eligible for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
More funding coming for food support
The WHOLE pantry is currently funded through donations via the Western Foundation. Sledge said the pantry received between $4,000-$5,000 from December and January donations but said that was more than usual. A few dozen people contribute bimonthly or monthly to the pantry.
The pantry receives food donations from Trader Joe’s, Avenue Bread and other area businesses, and spends an average $1,000 a week purchasing additional food.
In the fall, Western's food pantries will get a more sustainable funding source through a new student fee approved in the Associated Students election in spring 2024. Students will be charged $4.50 per quarter, allocated to the Basic Needs Hub.
Associated Students President Malachi Phillips said because of the university's budget challenges, the student association decided to contribute to the issue of food insecurity. He said there is a “basic problem” in asking students to “pay out of pocket to support themselves,” but the student association felt $4.50 was an equitable amount.
A portion of that funding stream will go toward hiring a full-time staff position for WHOLE. That person will also work on increasing food recovery from campus dining services — diverting perishable food that would otherwise be thrown out to students in need. The rest will go to purchasing food stock and toiletries.
Charlotte Alden/Cascadia Daily News)
Northwest Indian College sees high need
This was the first year NWIC was involved in the survey. Public Information Officer Natasha Brennan called it “invaluable information for us in supporting our students and advocating for their support." Brennan said the college has used this data in advocating for HB 1540, a bill in the Legislature that would expand a state program providing support to homeless students at Northwest Indian College. The bill has now passed the House, and is being considered in Senate committees.
Northwest Indian College has food pantries on all of its campuses, Brennan said, and affordable student and family housing. However, this funding would allow the college to create a pipeline from Lummi Nation's Youth Academy for students experiencing homelessness or foster care to continue their education at the college.
Christina Hoekstra, a Northwest Indian College student, told the Senate’s Higher Education & Workforce Committee that Northwest Indian College “changed [her] life,” and voiced support for the college getting more funding to help homeless students.
"Coming to Northwest Indian College, I was facing homelessness,” she told the committee. “I had four days to get out of where I was living."
Hoekstra said her instructors connected her with student housing, and within three days, she had a place to live with her children.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
