This food pantry at Eastern Michigan University is free for students, staff
YPSILANTI, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Swoops Food Pantry at Eastern Michigan University has been serving the school community for the past nine years.
Students and staff are welcome to come during opening hours and shop for food, toiletries, clothing and other items at no cost.
Swoops aims to help alleviate the cost of everyday items for community members in need.
"I see other people coming into the pantry and they're like, 'Oh my god, I didn't know you had this. I didn't know this existed," said student volunteer Moe Arrington.
Arrington is both a student volunteer and a regular shopper at Swoops.
"If I need like a whole bundle of trash bags, if I need paper towels, or if I just need cornmeal, I'll get some cornmeal. If I need juice, I'll get some juice," said Arrington. "But this is a place where I can shop. This is a place that is open to the university, to the students, to the alumni, to all the people who really need the resources."
Washtenaw County's largest food rescue organization, Food Gatherers, donates to Swoops. In addition, community members like Judy Stein dropped off some handmade soaps.
"I hope it's useful for people to have soap and it's a little treat for people to have nice soaps," Stein said.
Student volunteers said the pantry sees more than 100 shoppers a day – many of whom come for perishable food items.
"Food items such as bread, produce, eggs, milk are usually the top items that are requested and that go pretty fast," said student volunteer Jasmin Heath.
At check out, the items are weighed and counted. Shoppers of all ages come to the pantry, which operates four days a week.
Student Jane Osak came with her young family, including her young son. She said it helps alleviate the financial burden of being a student and working part-time.
"I come about twice a week," said Osak. "I think it's really beneficial. It's helping us kind of pay the tuition as we go. So, it's helping with tuition because that's high and then the groceries are high. So, being able to save on grocery bags and diapers, and when he was younger, formula was a huge one for us."
Swoops Food Pantry is located on EMU's campus at 100 Pierce Hall in Ypsilanti. Opening hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
EMU students and staff with a valid Emich ID are welcome to visit.