Pete’s Pantry addresses food insecurity in the Cowboy population and is here to alleviate the stress that may come with acquiring resources to meet your basic needs. We met with Brian Blevins, coordinator of basic needs at Pete’s Pantry, to answer a few of our questions!

 

Q: What is Pete’s Pantry and how did it get started?

A: Pete’s Pantry is OSU's on-campus food resource center. In the summer of 2021, I was brought into the project which was already a year or two in the making. This was something the Student Government Association saw a need for, so they started a pop-up pantry in their conference room, but we were looking for more of a brick-and-mortar place on campus. So, the former director of Campus Life  started working with Our Daily Bread, which is Stillwater’s food resource center, on a partnership to create a pantry on campus. Through that partnership, we were able to open Pete’s Pantry in February 2022. That first month we saw 70 total shoppers come through. We’ve now had individual days that have had 90 customers. In our busiest month, we had 638 total shoppers. We’ve grown significantly. In May 2024, Pete’s Pantry was approved to become an affiliate of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. We’re really grateful for this affiliation because we are able to provide a vast array of food resources to the OSU community.

 

Q: For students who visit the pantry, is there a limit to the items available to them?

A: Our shelf-stable items are organized into five sections. The top shelf of each section displays how much a person can take. We did this so we can change amounts based on our inventory. With our Regional Food Bank affiliation and our partnership with OSU’s Student Farm, shoppers are able to take as much fresh produce as they need. Expanding our produce started from student feedback and wouldn’t be possible without our strong partnerships. From our fridge and freezer section, shoppers can take one item each. We are in the process of acquiring additional cooler space for our inventory warehouse. This will allow us to expand this section and provide more. Shoppers can come up to twice a month. If we see someone come more than twice a month, we try not to turn them away; that’s not the goal of Pete’s Pantry. But if we see that this resource isn’t meeting some of those needs then we try to connect them with Our Daily Bread so they can get additional resources.

 

Q: Is the pantry open over breaks such as spring and summer break?

A: Yes, we try to keep some hours of operation at all times. The only times we don’t operate under our usual hours is if the Student Union closes. During breaks, we may reduce hours due to staffing.

 

Q: The pantry has a few different partners. What do these relationships look like?

A: A lot of those partners were very integral in the startup of Pete’s Pantry. Although Our Daily Bread does not provide us food products anymore, Pete’s Pantry wouldn’t have taken off without them. We still like to keep in touch with them and refer them when members of the OSU community need additional assistance. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is our main affiliation. Through them, we can purchase food and other household products at very low costs. Much of the time, the products are free. Our partnership with OSU’s Student Farm allows us to provide the OSU community with OSU-grown produce. I love this partnership because it’s a great representation of our community helping one another. We also have various donations through alumni and the OSU Foundation. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the Foundation’s efforts in helping us raise funds.

 

Q: What are some statistics on food insecurity at OSU?

A: In 2022, the National College Health Assessment identified 49.7% of OSU students have some level of food insecurity. This number increased to 53.8% in 2024. Since opening in 2022, we have had over 11,000 visits to Pete’s Pantry. We’re still working to increase our access though.

 

Q: What would you like to inform OSU students about regarding the pantry?

A: Sometimes students have a hesitation towards accessing Pete’s Pantry because they don’t want to take food away from someone else in need. As commendable as that thought is, it’s not true. No matter how many students walk through Pete’s Pantry’s door, we will always put more food on the shelves. If you feel like you need help, don’t hesitate to stop by. 

 

Also, we want to hear your feedback. This helps us improve our resource. We’re also looking at the data to see our gaps. For example, we know that around 70% of our shoppers are Masters or Doctoral students. This made us look into the accessibility of Pete’s Pantry for Undergraduate students. We learned our hours of operation can make it difficult for some students’ class schedules. We’re working to find more complementary hours for everyone.

 

Pete’s Pantry is available to OSU students, faculty and staff. All it requires is a valid OSU ID. You can find the pantry in the Student Union basement, room 042. Find additional details on the pantry’s website. Have specific questions? Email basicneeds@okstate.edu