After a multi-thousand-dollar donation from Amazon, The 12th Can will continue to address issues of food insecurity on campus.
On Sept. 27, The 12th Can, a student-led, on-campus food bank, received a donation of $5,000 and six pallets of food, from Amazon. The food pantry is open once a month. The organization partners with Brazos Valley Food Bank and has served over 90,000 pounds of food to Texas A&M students, faculty and staff, according to The 12th Can’s official website.
Biomedical engineering junior and Public Relations Director Shelby Wright said the donation included a variety of supplies.
“They were boxes taller than me, huge boxes, and six of them,” Wright said. “They were full of all sorts of stuff. We had pop tarts, flour, olive oil, all of the things we put on our most needed list. They also threw in practical things like trash bags that might not be cheap at the store.”
Wright also discussed the expected lifespan of the donation and what students can do to help address the issue.
“The physical donations will last months. The monetary donations will last us about two openings; we typically spend around $5,000 per month,” Wright said. “Combined, we will definitely be set for four to five weeks of pantries. A lot of times, we tell students to get their other organizations involved. Whether that’s a food drive or a donation, just bringing people together to spread awareness about how big this issue is. It’s very common for people to overlook it if it’s not something they struggle with directly.”
Management pre-law junior and Operations Director Erin Stokes said the donation will help The 12th Can achieve its goals for the semester.
“Our goal for this semester is to really get our name into the community and help end food insecurity on campus,” Stokes said. “We are starting three days per week openings this semester, which will help achieve that goal. The 12th Can wants to help as many Aggies as possible, and that is exactly what this Amazon donation is helping us do. We are able to give out so many products that we aren’t normally able to keep in stock, which is really exciting for our clients.”
To receive food from the pantry, individuals must fill out the required paperwork and show a valid student ID. Wright said the issue of food insecurity, specifically at A&M, is evident.
“There are people here who are truly worried about their next meal rather than the exam they have the next day,” Wright said.
