Currently, 20% of Whittier College students utilize the pantry, which records more than upwards of 6,000 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 has supported several campus initiatives, including the Purple and Gold Golf Tournament, which benefits Whittier Athletics.
“PIH 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 PIH 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 a real grant proposal to PIH.
“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.
Frances Romo, student and family programs coordinator, shared powerful stories from students who have benefitted from the pantry, moving some members of the audience to tears.
“The Poet Pantry provides a sense of ease and security,” she said, noting that students have reported academic improvements because they no longer have to study while hungry. “The pantry is about more than just food — it’s about fostering a community where students come together, share, and support one another.”
Thanks to the PIH 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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