Hidden Gems: The Eagle Essentials Food Pantry

By: JB Ricks

The Eagle Essentials Food Pantry has become a powerful resource for students and faculty at Georgia Southern. It is a judgement-free zone that is open to all in need.

The pantry is tucked into room 2010 of the Williams Center, right outside the multipurpose room and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Monday through Friday. They offer non-perishable food, hygiene products, school supplies and menstrual products for Georgia Southern students and staff. Faculty, staff, and students from other campuses can request access to the food pantry as well. 

Eagle Essentials recognizes that everyone’s situation and individual needs are different. Their main goal is to support faculty and students during their time of need and to help connect them with other campus resources.

The space is run by the Dean of Students Office and Cassey Weaver, Assistant Dean of Student Care and Well-Being. The pantry was founded in 2018 along with another food pantry at the Armstrong campus called Captain’s Cupboard.

The Eagle Essentials food pantry has several shelves full of food, hygiene products and school supplies like folders. There is also a small freezer section in the corner of the room. The pantry is staffed by students at Georgia Southern. They sit at the front desk and help guests, stock the shelves and keep count of items. 

During a time of higher grocery prices and inflation, students find themselves struggling to feed themselves. Students are often forced to choose between paying their bills or eating regularly. 

“It’s getting hard to find basic items like bread at an affordable price,” said Alex Furman, a student at Southern, “it’s even harder to eat healthy.”

Captains Cupboard and Eagle Essentials are currently accepting donations all year round. Statesboro’s food pantry is currently in need of canned meat like Spam, rice, Ramen, peanut butter, paper towels and toilet paper. For a list of other items needed and more information about donating check out the food pantries website on Georgia Southern’s Dean of Students page.