Colin Humphries, MPPA '27 and former UMass Amherst Student Government Association (SGA) president, was involved in the recent launch of the new, permanent on-campus food pantry, a partnership between UMass Amherst and the Amherst Survival Center. The opening of the pantry, with the ribbon-cutting occurring in conjunction with National Food Day, is the result of a years-long organizing push by student and community groups to address food insecurity amongst UMass Amherst students and staff.
The campus pantry, which will be operated by the Amherst Survival Shelter, helps to fill a gap for those who do not have access to fresh and healthy food. According to Humphries, "We hope this will allow members of our community to focus on their academics and activities without worrying where they will get their next meal."
Humphries became involved with the campus pantry project when he began his time in student government. He states, "I started working on the project four years ago when I was elected to SGA as a senator. Since then I have worked with student and community leaders to push administration to open a food pantry on campus." Humphries highlights that there was friction in getting the pantry off of the ground due to the complexity of the project, but that consistent community engagement, the availability of the former Newman Catholic Center, and the partnership with the Amherst Survival Shelter "made the campus pantry a reality."
Now that the campus pantry is up and running, Humphries has reflected upon his own involvement in helping to bring a long-standing idea to fruition. "As someone who benefitted from the Free Lunch Program it means a lot to me to have played an instrumental role in ensuring my community has access to food. I feel really proud knowing I have made a difference on this campus and that my efforts will result in increased student wellbeing for many years to come."
As a parting word of advice for future students and community leaders, Humphries encourages others to "...keep fighting for positive change no matter how hard it may be. Change isn't often instantaneous but rather the culmination of hard work and perseverance. If you remain persistent in your efforts you can have a great impact on your community."
Read more about the opening of the campus pantry at UMass News and the Daily Hampshire Gazette.