With about 31% of Iowa State students being food insecure, according to data from ISU Student Wellness, Student Government President Martin Hursh and Vice President Quinn Margrett are aiming to improve food security through an executive order.

“You should not be in higher education and be worrying about where your next meal is coming from. That’s ridiculous,” said Hursh, a sophomore in economics. 

On the day of inauguration, April 9, an executive order was signed to establish a food insecurity task force.

“That was one of our main platform points; that’s something that we said we’re absolutely going to get done on day one,” Hursh said.

Through conversations with Students Helping Our Peers (SHOP), National Residence Hall Honorary President Nicolas Stelter has brought a proposal to the table that would bring a food pantry to the Wallace-Wilson residence halls (Towers).

“This proposal outlines a comprehensive plan that integrates institutional support, staffing strategies and organizational structures to ensure the sustained operation of the food pantry,” Hursh read from the proposal.

Hursh said this proposal is still in the early stages, and there are many steps to the process before it would open.

“This is not something that you can just snap your fingers and you’re going to be able to get a spot,” Hursh said. “You have to get a spot allocated for you. Where are you going to put this pantry at? How are you going to stock it? And then you have to work really closely with SHOP.”

While the potential food pantry at Towers is currently being looked at, Margrett said more analysis will be done to find other places on campus where food insecurity is prevalent.

“We know that broadly there is this problem, but this isn’t specific to just Towers. It’s what else can we do?” said Margrett, a sophomore in business economics. “Kind of the first step is A, looking at Towers, because we know that’s a specific need. We’ve identified it. [Next is] identifying where else there’s a need.”

Mindi Heeren, who will be chairing the task force according to Hursh, is the nonprofit coordinator for Student Government. Adam Herrington, director of health and wellness for Student Government, will serve as the vice chair.

At-large members are appointed by the president, with multiple members currently appointed.

Students interested in joining or sharing ideas with the task force can reach out to Hursh or Margrett to discuss through their emails [email protected] and [email protected].