Recently, the Second Harvest Food Bank and Community Action team members traveled to Moravian University in Bethlehem, where they sat down with a few key members of the campus community involved in the success of Mo’s Cupboard. Mo’s Cupboard program has grown from humble beginnings and is now considered a lifeline for hundreds of students on campus. We spoke with Greg Meyer, Dean of Community Wellness; In-Chi Chow-Rivera, Administrative Assistant for Student Life; and Aiden Clare, a freshman on campus who has personally used the Cupboard's services and become an advocate for Mo’s.
The history of Mo's Cupboard traces back to 2018, when an employee in the Provost's office recognized a pressing need for food access among the student body. Despite initial reservations and doubts about bandwidth and time constraints, they chose to see it through, and Mo’s is now the campus necessity we know today.
Despite initial excitement, the Cupboard team faced accessibility challenges. They were operating out of a space that was tucked away, and quickly found it was difficult to spread word of the newly created resource. However, organizers trusted students would spread the news through word-of-mouth, and awareness of the program quickly grew. As Mo’s Cupboard continued to gain traction, it became evident that a more visible and accessible space was needed.
The cementing moment came in the fall of 2019 during a building relocation. A seemingly nondescript closet caught the attention of the Mo's Cupboard team. With a bit of creativity and collaboration, the 6x6 space was transformed into a fully functional pantry! Equipped with a refrigerator, freezer, and card swipe access, the pantry became a staple for students facing food insecurity. Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. It is often associated with the uncertainty of having, or being unable to acquire, adequate food due to insufficient money or other resources. Food insecurity can range from occasional missed meals to more chronic, frequent lack of access to food that affects one's nutrition and overall health. College students may not be the first demographic you think of when food donation comes to mind. However, students may face several challenges that affect their access to nutritious food including: financial constraints due to being a full-time student, limited cooking facilities, lack of knowledge on nutrition/cooking, living on a campus that is considered a food desert, inadequate support systems, or meal plan limitations.
Greg stated, "We bring [the pantry] up with families during orientation and prospective student events, just making sure the word gets out there. The data that we're collecting allows us to slice and dice, we can look by different demographics. It's part of how we've thought about expanding to the South Campus and to the Rehab Sciences Building. We can use that information to have this conversation."
One of the key successes of Mo's Cupboard is its public and easily accessible location. Placed in a high-traffic area with extended hours of access, students no longer had to jump through hoops or disclose their needs to access essential resources. One of those students was Aiden Clare, a freshman who, due to family troubles, was living on campus during summer break, with no job or access to food. Luckily, Mo’s was able to provide both.
“It helped me a lot during my time in the summer until my meal plan started, and even when my meal plan started, I couldn't afford it. So I ended up going back to just mainly using Mo’s Cupboard as a way to get food, and it's helped me greatly.”
Working at the Cupboard gave Aiden specific insight into the needs of his fellow students.
“Over the time of me working there, I got to see different sets of students go in and out and eventually I would ask them, ‘hey, what would you want to see stocked? What are you looking for when you go in?’ I would even pay attention to the minor details of what people grabbed most often."
The Mo’s Cupboard team relies on donations to keep the program moving, including help from Second Harvest. In-Chi commented “We’ve made wonderful partnerships through Second Harvest, with the Retail Recovery program and the Food on Donation connection, which has been so helpful.” The college’s food supplier also runs one to two food drives for the cupboard throughout the year, and they even work with other departments within the school to help spread Mo’s to other parts of campus.
The impact of Mo's Cupboard has been nothing short of transformative. What began as a modest effort to assist a handful of students has become a campus-wide support system, serving hundreds with dignity and respect. Students from all walks of life have found solace in knowing that a reliable source of nourishment is right on campus. Aiden commented, “I was even debating staying in college if I couldn't find food or a resource that could support me." He says other students felt the same way and he has taken it upon himself to spread the word of Mo’s and encourages everybody to reach out for help if they need it. “You should definitely reach out to someone, no matter what you’re going through”.
To follow Mo's Cupboard and stay up to date with the program, you can follow them on Instagram here.
Here are several testimonials from students benefiting from Mo's Pantry:
-"They have helped me when I couldn’t get to the store...I didn’t have to eat unhealthy food!"
-"Mo's helped me get shaving cream and saved me from hunger...and it's FREE!"
-"Mo’s is always accommodating and has resources for me when I need them. I never felt insecure when I have Mo’s."
-"I like all the different options Mo's Cupboard gives to students."
-"Mo's Cupboard has always helped me in a pinch! I can always rely on it when I'm in need."
Second Harvest Food Bank, a program of Community Action Lehigh Valley, provides children, seniors, and families with fresh and nutritious groceries. We serve residents in six counties across Pennsylvania including Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne.
To donate to Second Harvest Food Bank today, follow the link below.
Are you looking to make a difference for those facing food insecurity? Reach out to January Misero, Second Harvest Food Bank's Development Officer, at jmisero@caclv.org to discover how you can launch a food drive, assist in gathering donations, or participate in volunteer events at our warehouse.