Learning Outcomes

When it came to donating my food to the Bruin Cupboard I wasn’t sure what to expect as

I have never used it myself, though I have had friends here at SLCC who wouldn’t be able to get

through the day without it. As a whole, I am thankful for food pantries no matter where they may

be but I’ve always been under the impression that they could be made better, either by food

selection or food quantity. However, I am happy to say that I was blown away by the quality of

the pantry that we have here at SLCC, I was amazed by both the variety of food available for

students, along with the overall positive energy that the staff there emitted. Because of this, I

found myself comforted by the fact that any student in need could easily and safely access this

pantry without any fear of judgment for doing so, and I find that its programs like this that make

me truly thankful to be studying in such a welcoming institution.

(Pictured above to the left is student services member Jacob Erickson graciously holding up the

two bags of food I donated to the Bruin Pantry. Pictured next to the right is the confirmation and

signature of my donation.)
 When we think of species as a whole we generally recall how the interactions and overall

dependence of organisms often correlate depending on what environment they find themselves

in, though it should be noted that this concept can easily be applied to humans as well. When

we think of the class system that we find ourselves apart of in today's world, we usually imagine

either the 1% of millionaires or the larger group of those with low income; this usually directly

equates with the amount of food that you might find in these peoples homes. While this is

always not the case most people don’t often think about food pantries and their importance, yet

they still remain one of the most vital sources of nutrition for the roughly 32% of low-income

households, making it one of the most vital community programs nationwide.

One of the largest health concerns in America is obesity, especially the growing

percentage of obese children, with the age range growing more widespread than before. Even

as the social movement for the overall better health for Americans marches on with more

support than ever, there still remains the fact that income inevitably decides the food that you’ll

consume. There are many primary factors when it comes to the health crisis of our nation,

including the social and personal habits of any given person and even down to less detectable

aspects such as common schedules, yet the overarching influence when it comes to our health

is our overall lifestyle.

At first glance, the majority of people would never know just how much the food industry

impacts our everyday lives, from how it affects our health to how it discriminates against the

largest percent of everyday people. As a whole, the choices that we make on a daily basis affect

our overall health, though while some choices are within our immediate control, others are not.

This rings true as those with more wealth are quick to judge the choices of those with low

income, often assuming that they are solely responsible for their current economic situation and
physical health. However, they remain ignorant of the reality of limited free time and food variety

afforded to those who may be working three jobs just to make ends meet and its these factors

that play an important role in determining the overall health of someone living with these

conditions. If you're someone who’s always on the go and you’ve only got $2 to spare your

obvious option is going to be the dollar menu opposed to the few vegetables you may be able to

afford from the supermarket. Yet even with these choices as the reality, there are still those who

grossly judge others based on the food they can afford and the size of shirt that they may wear,

ultimately laking empathy as they continue to let the food industry take full advantage of the

monopoly that we continue to uphold.