Student Historical Society Launches Extra Food Pantries at UW-Milwaukee

In the Food Center & Pantry in the UW-Milwaukee Student Union, nonperishable items line the shelves: bagged rice, canned green beans, canned corn and boxed pasta. On one wall are a few freezers with signs taped to them stating that students are allowed to take only one item from each.

But this is not the only food pantry on campus. Walk into the Cultures & Communities Center in Bolton Hall, and to the right will be new, additional student-run food pantries.

Sam Knight, the founder and president of the Student Historical Society at UWM, got the idea to create the food pantries after they overheard some students talking about how they can’t afford to go home over winter break and don’t know how they’re going to eat.

“I had to take a second to be like, ‘Did I really just hear what I heard?’ It really bothered me,” said Knight. “I left from school, I went home, got dressed for work. At work, I’m still thinking about it. I’m like, there’s gotta be something I can do.”

In 2024, 52% of UWM students experienced some form of food insecurity, with one quarter of students experiencing very high food insecurity, according to the National Collegiate Health Assessment.

Visits to the UWM food pantry rose more than 41% from September to October when the federal government shut down and SNAP benefits were interrupted, according to the UWM Dean of Students’ office.

SHS Vice President Ella Waigand was part of the planning and organizing to establish the food pantries in both buildings. She notes the need for a wider variety of options.

“I have seen some outside criticism of sometimes them not having things that are gluten-free or vegan-friendly,” said Waigand. “I know we got a variety of different foods and while I was putting them up, I saw that some of them have gluten-free written on the actual packaging.”

Conor Watke, a third-year accounting major, said his roommate uses food assistance services and has struggled with food insecurity.

“I’ve never needed to partake, but I mean, if I were to get to that point, I’d appreciate other peoples’ generosity,” he said.

The UWM Food Center & Pantry in the Student Union is open four days a week with limited hours, and Tuesdays only available by appointment.

“That was kind of the big drive for actually making something more,” said Waigand. “Number one, you can access it as long as the two buildings that they’re in are open. And number two, there’s no appointment, you can grab what you need, no-questions-asked kind of thing.”