Hannah Baleme/MDN Rachel Simonson, campus pastor with Lutheran Campus Ministry, stands inside the food pantry room at the Wellness Center at Minot State University.

The Minot Area Community Foundation granted $6,000 from the Arnold I. Besserud Fund to Lutheran Campus Ministries for the food pantry at Minot State University on Thursday.

The grant will be used to purchase much needed items for the food pantry.

Located inside the MSU Wellness Center, individuals can access the pantry during the Wellness Center hours, which is open year-round.

The Wellness Center was chosen for the grant because it encompasses student health in a holistic way.

Rachel Simonson, campus pastor with Lutheran Campus Ministry, said the pantry started about five years ago when student groups on campus discovered food insecurity was something that needed to be addressed.

“We want to support students in this phase of their life so they can be successful. They can’t do that if they are hungry or stressed about where food is coming from,” said Simonson. “We developed a partnership between Lutheran Campus Ministry and MSU Wellness Center to combat this issue.”

The food pantry started out as a closet space in the corridor that students could access and has evolved in the past couple years to having its own room.

MSU business and social work students put together a project to raise funds and the student government has put on food drives.

“There is one professor in the biology department who wants to have a fundraiser on campus,” Simonson said. “It’s interesting to see the different groups who come out to support this cause. Social workers make sense but when you get people in places you don’t expect, it’s nice to see the various kinds of engagement.”

The pantry is also available to faculty members who have a need for it.

During the semester, the food pantry sees around 100 visits monthly. The program is anonymous, those utilizing it do not need to give their name.

Hours of operation are extensive. As long as the wellness center is open, the food pantry is.