USM helps Coast students through on-campus pantry

USM Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach has a pantry that offers food and essentials to help students in need.

The pantry consists of food, toiletries, and hygiene products. Students and members of its faculty and staff are eligible for items available at the pantry.

The pantry officially launched in late January 2021 and had immediate success with both donations and participation from students wanting food packages.

To date, USM has completed more than 100 pickups.

Gulf Park Pantry received key boosts through the 2020 Golden Basket Program and a partnership with Extra Table. USM Gulf Park Student Affairs Coordinator Jessica Langston said, “Students had an established need for food assistance and also for just personal hygiene items like deodorant and shampoo that add to the monthly bills. So, we just wanted to help out where we could. We know that we have such a generous community here that is so willing and able to help us out. So, we decided to collect all of that good will from our community and have this resource for students.”

The Gulf Park Pantry welcomes donations to support its mission. Monetary and physical donations are accepted.