The president and lawmakers will meet one-on-one with student leaders, tour the pantry and learn about its services.

QUEENS, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, March 3, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- What: With the expiration of the federal COVID Relief SNAP Emergency Allotment on March 1, 2023, and soaring food insecurity among students at campuses citywide, Queens College President Frank H. Wu will gather with state legislators from Queens and Nassau, members of his administration, and student leaders to highlight the work of the college's Knights Table Food Pantry and voice support for the Hunger-Free Campus Act. The president and lawmakers will meet one-on-one with student leaders, tour the pantry and learn about its services. Now under debate in Albany, the Hunger-Free Campus Act—which has already passed in eight states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey—would provide funding to grow and sustain basic needs programs, like the Knights Table Food Pantry.

While CUNY schools were mandated to establish food pantries in 2019, the majority of pantries receive no funding support from their institution. Even before the pandemic, the Knight's Table Food Pantry was a vital resource for City University of New York (CUNY) students—up to nearly half of whom were considered food insecure before the pandemic. Because of inflation and the rising cost of food and basic care items, the pantry's services are even more critical now. To date, the Knight's Table Food Pantry has served over 2,600 students and their families.

Who: Queens College President Frank H. Wu; invited participants are Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal, New York State Senator John Liu, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, Assemblymember Gina Sillitti, and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon; Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Jennifer Jarvis, student leaders, and pantry staff. Queens College Distinguished Lecturer and former City Councilmember James Vacca will moderate the discussion.

Where: Queens College Knights Table Food Pantry, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard |Student Union, Lower-Level 29

Background
Queens College established the Knight's Table Food Pantry in fall 2018 as part of the college's commitment to reducing food insecurity among its—and all City University of New York—students. Overseen by the Office of Student Development and Leadership at the college, its mission is to assist and empower students by providing no-cost nonperishable food items, feminine hygiene products, condoms, and toiletries. It is open by appointment Monday through Saturday.

Linda Pacheco
Queens College
+1 718-997-5004
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.