Queens College expressed appreciation for the sponsors and supporters of its Knights Table Food Pantry — which provides stigma-free food access for students in need — at a Feb. 25 ceremony held at the school’s pantry in the Student Union.
Queens College Interim President William Tramontano presented certificates of appreciation to Executive Director of the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation Cass Conrad, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz and Queens County Farm Museum Executive Director Jennifer Walden Weprin.
“At Queens College, we give thought for food and for people who lack it,” Tramontano said. “Since its opening in 2018, the Knight’s Table Food Pantry has serviced more than a thousand QC students. That’s more than a thousand students who don’t have to choose between buying school supplies and getting something to eat. That’s a statistic to celebrate.”
Koslowitz and the Petrie Foundation have provided financial support for the school’s pantry, and Weprin hosted a Queens County Farm Museum food drive throughout December 2019 to benefit the pantry.
The Knights Table Food Pantry has served more than 1,000 Queens College students since it opened in November 2018 as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s No Student Goes Hungry Program. New York is the first state in the nation with a comprehensive program to combat student hunger.
The pantry — located at the Queens College Student Union, Lower-Level, Room 29 — receives donations from members of student clubs, organizations, administrators and faculty members.
It is operated by the Office of Student Development and Leadership, working with student volunteers, under the supervision of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. All matriculated students enrolled in courses during the academic year are eligible to use the pantry.
The hours of operation for the spring 2020 semester are Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. The college is working with the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), the Student Association, campus clubs and organizations to encourage student support efforts.
