Food Pantry Fills Growing Need On OU Campus

Food pantries on college campuses are a growing trend. Now, those behind the OU food pantry are looking to expand. The OU food pantry was started by a few students who didn't realize how big of need there was until they opened their doors. “I didn&r

Wednesday, August 28th 2019, 6:33 pm

By: Karl Torp

Food Pantry Fills Growing Need On OU Campus

Food pantries on college campuses are a growing trend. Now, those behind the OU food pantry are looking to expand.

The OU food pantry was started by a few students who didn't realize how big of need there was until they opened their doors.

“I didn’t think about food insecurity and hunger,” said Matt Marks about when he was asked to first look at the need for a food pantry on campus.

Marks soon realized that both students and staff at OU needed the extra help.

In 2017, he and a few other volunteers started the food pantry on Elm Ave. Ten volunteers now operate the pantry.

The OU food pantry is open every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Last week, the pantry served 88 clients, the most in one week ever.

Marks has teamed up the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank to keep the shelves stocked, and local hotels donate items like soaps and shampoo.

Volunteers also fill orders that come in online.

“If they don’t want to hang out at a pantry for too long, we make it as easy as possible for them,” said Marks.

“This place puts food on the table for us,” said client Terri Fulk, who works fulltime at OU.

To learn more or to donate visit http://www.ou.edu/foodpantry.

Karl Torp

Karl Torp is an award-winning journalist who’s been part of the News 9 team since 2012. He co-anchors the 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts on weekdays. Karl loves telling Oklahoma’s unique stories, and he’s also a huge sports junkie. He loves to think of trades that would help the Oklahoma City Thunder win a World Championship (despite knowing little to nothing about salary caps and luxury taxes).

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