by Jordan Green, News Editor
Northwestern staff members had seen the problem around campus for years.
Students struggling with finances had a hard time making ends meet. Some didn’t have enough food. Others needed hygiene products like soap and shampoo. Some staff members faced those problems, too.
So two sisters who work at Northwestern – Angelia and Valarie Case – teamed up with the NWOSU Art Society and several others. They came up with a plan to help students and staffers alike. Now, one year after they put it into practice, they’re celebrating what they’ve done – and they’re looking forward to helping more Rangers in the future.
The Campus Cabinet at Northwestern turned one year old Jan. 16. Volunteers say the program has provided several NWOSU students and staffers with food, blankets, pillows, and hygiene products, among other items.
The program relies on grants and donations from community members and businesses, who Angelia Case says eagerly support the university and its students. Students and employees in need can stop by Shockley Hall on Wednesday nights from 5 – 7 p.m. They may also submit forms via the internet at http://www.nwosu.edu/campus-cabinet or email Angelia Case at at arcase@nwosu.edu.
It doesn’t cost the recipients a penny as long as they bring their student or employee identification cards with them.
Recipients of goods remain anonymous, and Campus Cabinet volunteers don’t ask them questions when they walk in the door.
The number of students who receive food from the food pantry varies from week to week. Some weeks, only a couple of students stop by. Other weeks, that number is closer to a dozen. So far, the Cabinet has more than 70 registered users.
While recipients stay nameless, someone has to serve as the “face” of the program. That duty falls on volunteers, who go out into the community to organize food drives, Angelia Case said.
That’s exactly what Joni Welch did.
Welch, a nursing major, wanted to get involved with a service organization on campus. When she heard about the Campus Cabinet, she knew that was the one for her.
“I was looking for an activity on campus to get involved in when I learned of the Campus Cabinet,” she said. “The staff and other volunteers were warm and friendly right away. I enjoyed volunteering there, and it was a good fit for my busy schedule. As a nursing major, I have very little time to volunteer, and I wanted to do something that would have a positive impact.”
With the help of Share Medical Center employees, Welch organized a food drive in conjunction with Share Medical Center, The Homestead and The Convalescent Home. All three are Alva-area organizations with ties either to the medical industry or the housing industry.
And the drive worked. Case said the group received several large donations of food items, leaving the food pantry with more than 500 pounds of non-perishable food, hygiene products, and bedding.
Welch said the food drive was a meaningful experience that demonstrates the power of teamwork.
“It is very rewarding to help others,” she said. “I was volunteering the day that the donation from Share Medical Center arrived. It was exciting for me to see a big donation arrive and know that I played a small part in it. A lot of things can be accomplished when people work together.
‘THEY ARE WELCOME’
When the Case sisters and Art Society members first had the idea for the Campus Cabinet, that’s all they were looking for: a cabinet. They ended up with an entire room in Shockley Hall, and they’ve since been given half of another room.
To them, that was just one step in the right direction. The program has since expanded to the university’s Woodward campus thanks to Kristin Mravinec, the dean’s administrative assistant. Those involved say they hope the program will continue to grow and have a wide outreach to NWOSU students and staff.
Donations of food items are always accepted, and so are monetary donations.
Volunteers are needed, too. Welch said opportunities to help are plentiful.
“I would definitely encourage others to volunteer with the Campus Cabinet,” she said. “There are many opportunities, including food distribution, cleaning, stocking shelves, checking in and weighing donations, and even providing baked goods on occasion.
“The staff is wonderful. They made a way for me to volunteer when I had a difficult schedule.”
Valarie Case said those who have received help from the food pantry have been grateful for it.
“Every one of our students and employees who have come to the Cabinet for help has been so thankful,” she said. “We completely understand those who have been hesitant to ask for help because we can identify. We want them to know they are welcome, and when they are able to in the future, pay it forward.”
Angelia Case hopes to get more help from volunteers in the future. But above all, she wants more students and staff members to feel comfortable asking for help.
“We just want to help,” she said. “What we want them to do is let us help now, and then they can pay it forward when they can. … Just let us help.”