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Campus Pantry and Biosphere 2 team up to fight food insecurity

Posted at 5:24 AM, Aug 22, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-22 13:39:00-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Welcome to the Campus Pantry at the University of Arizona!

"By the end of this spring semester we just had, we saw over 1,300 people a week only being open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays for four hours each of those days," shared Student Director of Outreach of the Campus Pantry R.J. Reliford II.

The pantry expects to see those numbers grow even more this year. It serves students, faculty and staff.

"My freshman year, I faced a lot of food insecurity issues myself," revealed Reliford.

He tells KGUN 9 he knows firsthand how much of a difference this place makes.

"Honestly, without me even hearing about the pantry, I would not have been able to get to where I am at today," explained Reliford.

The pantry has lots of different partnerships which help it provide all kinds of foods.

"With the rooftop greenhouse upstairs on the student union that gives us bell peppers, tomatoes, other things like that," said Co-student Director of Campus Pantry Yesenia Torres.

This year, the first crop of lettuce grown in a container farm at Biosphere 2 was delivered.

"Not only just lettuce, but different kinds of lettuce and also their process is amazing," said Torres.

The pantry is looking forward to working with Biosphere 2 and the variety it will provide.

"Having fresh produce for us like that. Having partnerships like that. It provides us to give more variety for our students besides things that are canned or things that are nonperishables," added Torres.

The crew is looking forward to the new school and impact they can make to break food insecurity.

To learn more about the Campus Pantry, visit their website.

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Lydia Camarillo is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Lydia is no stranger to the Old Pueblo. She has been reporting in Tucson for more than a decade and has been involved in numerous projects highlighting folks in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Lydia by emailing lydia.camarillo@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.