Walking into the Maize and Blue Cupboard, you’ll find wooden bins filled to the brim with fruit, shelves stocked with dry goods, and coolers packed with meats and colorful produce. Only one thing is missing from what appears to be your typical grocery store: The price tags.
Instead, there are labels suggesting how many of each item to take.
The grocery store setup of the space is no mistake. “We want to create an environment that is inclusive, well put together, and organized to make you feel like you are in a grocery store,” says Jessica Thompson, the Maize and Blue Cupboard Program Manager.
Among college campuses, food insecurity — the lack of reliable access to affordable and nutritious food — is a growing concern. Colleges across the country are beginning to hold food distributions or open pantries to try and address this need.
While 12.7% of the general population of the United States is food insecure, that number is much higher among college students. A recent study published by John Hopkins University Press found that over one in three college students at four-year universities are food insecure, at 36%.
The University of Michigan is ready to combat the issue.
The Maize and Blue Cupboard began as a student organization with monthly food distribution days at a variety of locations, including Trotter Multicultural Center. This is how it caught the eye of Thompson.
Thompson worked at Trotter for eight years before she was approached about the opportunity to become program manager for the permanent location of the Maize and Blue Cupboard. She was at first reluctant to take the new opportunity after her many years of working at Trotter. However, she knew it was needed for the U-M community after seeing the high attendance at distributions.
Now, Maize and Blue Cupboard has evolved from a student org to a part of Student Life. They moved to a permanent location in the Betsy Barbour Residence Hall last April. While they are currently open, the official grand opening will be in the fall.
The reactions to the new brick and mortar location have been overwhelmingly positive. Within the first week of opening around 50 or so students were coming in each day. This number has only continued to grow. “Getting students into the building wasn’t a concern from the beginning, which speaks to the real need,” says Thompson. “The gratefulness of students coming in is amazing.”
A major challenge of not having a physical space was that students would have to hope they were available during the designated evening food distribution times, which may not have been an option for those who work nights. Julie Colbath, a master’s student at the U-M School of Public Health who works with the Cupboard as a Graduate Program Lead, thinks one of the bigger benefits of the physical space is that “students can take their time and shop when it’s convenient for them.”
Thompson cites other benefits of the absorption into Student Life, including the benefit of having a group of full-time staff to gather and think more critically around food insecurity. She thinks that although there’s an idea that students on campus have everything they need, this isn’t the case. Additionally, she notes it can be particularly hard to obtain food in Ann Arbor due to the high cost of living and lack of a walkable grocery store.
However, the Maize and Blue Cupboard wants to be more than just a place to pick up some food items. As Thompson says, “we’re not just about putting some canned goods into the hands of a college student and thinking we’re done.”
In her eyes, Maize and Blue Cupboard is just in its beginning stages. There will be a teaching kitchen providing resources such as cooking classes, nutrition classes, and food tastings. Thompson says she is excited “to be in a position to teach people what to do with the food, not just having it.” More specifically, she values being able to show up to meet the needs of the diverse students of this campus. Thompson wants to ensure that students with allergies or religious dietary restrictions have options as well, and know how to make nutritious food that fits their unique needs.
Furthermore, Thompson plans to partner with other units on campus such as Counseling and Psychological Services and University Health Service so that students have multiple ways to learn about the Cupboard.
The number of colleges addressing food insecurity is continuing to grow, but few are taking the large steps that U-M is. Beyond just working to provide a reliable source of nutritious food on campus, the university is looking for innovative ways to address the individual concerns of each student. As Thompson says, “it’s incredible that Michigan is doing this and prioritizing support around food insecurity. We’re going to work hard to meet the needs of our students.”