Katy Williams, director of Civic Engagement and Student Assistance and the Lobo Pantry at Sul Ross State University, has been appointed to the Swipe Out Hunger Leadership Council, a national body working to end food insecurity among college students.
Swipe Out Hunger partners with colleges, legislators, and communities to provide grants and resources to student food pantries. Sul Ross State University recently received a $1,000 grant from the organization to support its pantry efforts.
“We have very unique challenges in addressing food insecurity here in Alpine and at Sul Ross,” Williams said. “Serving on this council has allowed me to increase awareness for the challenges of small institutions and more importantly, rural and frontier students, to learn best practices, share our successes in innovative solutions and build community partnerships.”
The Lobo Pantry is a temporary, judgment-free food resource available to eligible students once per month. During the Fall 2024 semester, it recorded 613 visits from 333 unique individuals. Of those, 41 percent visited more than once. The pantry also partnered with the West Texas Food Bank to host three produce distributions, reaching 384 students.
While monthly pantry visits declined compared to Fall 2023, overall engagement and use of produce services increased. Since opening in Fall 2022, the pantry’s total clientele has grown by 254 percent.
For more information, contact katy.williams@sulross.edu.
