Dietra Sober (third, left) and Kennedy Hackerott (third, right) are part of a group trying to get a food pantry at K-State.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Two people with Wellington ties are part of a small group of college students who have started a school food pantry at Kansas State University.

Dietra Sober, a 2016 Wellington High School graduate; and Kennedy Hackerott, a 2016 Goddard High School graduate who spent many years in the Wellington school system, are currently part of a group of eight KSU students hoping to start a food pantry for students.

“Roughly 40 percent of students at KSU are food insecure and we are one of the only schools in the Big 12 that does not have a food pantry,” Sober said. “We have currently met with the K-State administration and created a mutual proposal to obtain a space for a pantry.”

However, Sober said timing is an issue. 

If funds do not come through on this, it would not be until 2018 that something could be done, Sober said. 

In the meantime, while no official administrative or legislative actions are taking place, the K-State group is taking actions that can get something going right away. This winter break, the eight members stayed in Manhattan a few extra days to meet with faculty regarding these efforts. 

“We are also looking at implementing an app with Housing and Dining Services that would allow students with a meal plan to share a meal,” Sober said. “Basically, since many students don’t use all of their swipes anyways, they can share it with others.”

 Sober continued:

“This would be a great way to bring people together and allow the negative stigma of needing help, needing a meal to be eliminated.”

Aside from that, the group has also have been doing political advocacy with a group called “Results.”

The members recently spoke with Congresswomen Lynn Jenkins in Topeka (pictured above) and have led letter writing campaigns.

Many in the group have written a few articles to get published in the media regarding SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,) formerly Food Stamps, and the EFA (Education For All Act). 

One of those articles, written by Hackerott, was published on Dec. 21 in the Manhattan Mercury titled Don’t block-grant SNAP. 

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