Currently, 20% of Whittier College students utilize the pantry, which records more than 1,000 individual visits annually.
Support for the Poet Pantry came through a generous grant from PIH Health Whittier Hospital, a longstanding partner of the College. Over the years, PIH Health Whittier Hospital has supported several campus initiatives, including the Purple and Gold Golf Tournament, which benefits Whittier Athletics.
“PIH Health Whittier Hospital looked at what we were doing here at the College and asked, ‘What can we do to help?’” said President Kristine E. Dillon ’73 during the reopening ceremony.
The grant was made possible through the experiential, real-world learning that regularly happens in classrooms across campus. Students in Professor Jonathan Burton’s Introduction to Professional Writing course received mentorship on grant writing from Whittier College senior grant writer John Bak and then practiced their skills on an actual grant proposal to PIH Health Whittier Hospital.
“In addition to the gains made in terms of mitigating food insecurity and making the use of the pantry a more dignified experience, students made real gains in their professional skills, and should all add not only ‘grant writing’ to their resumes, but ‘successfully funded grant writing’” Burton said.
Assistant to VP and Dean of Students & CARE Team Member Frances Romo shared powerful stories from students who have benefitted from the pantry, moving some members of the audience to tears.
“We are proud to say that we’ve successfully removed the stigma that was once associated with using a food pantry,” Romo said. “This is a significant win for us, and it is more than just about providing food — it’s about fostering a sense of community. The Poet Pantry has become an additional space where students can come together, share, and support one another.”
Thanks to the grant, the pantry underwent renovations, including adding cold storage to allow it to offer perishable goods. The Whittier Area Community Church also donates many food items.
“When I was a student here, a program like the Poet Pantry wasn’t even imagined,” said Dillon. “But what if we had been more expansive, more inclusive, back then? Now we are — and that’s what Whittier is all about.”
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