Katy Williams, the director of Civic Engagement and Student Assistance and the Lobo Pantry at Sul Ross State University, has been named to the Swipe Out Hunger Leadership Council.

Swipe Out Hunger is the leading national nonprofit powering the movement to end food insecurity amongst students, collaborating with colleges, legislators, and the greater community to address student needs. The group provides grants to university pantries, including SRSU, which recently received $1,000.

“We have very unique challenges in addressing food insecurity here in Alpine and at Sul Ross,” said Williams. “Serving on this council has allowed me to increase awareness for the challenges of small institutions and more importantly, rural and frontier students, to learn best practices, share our successes in innovative solutions and build community partnerships.”

The Lobo Pantry is a temporary, judgment-free resource for students who are eligible to visit once month.

In the Fall 2024 semester, the pantry had 613 visits serving 333 unique individuals, 41 percent of whom had used the service more than once. Three produce distributions were held in conjunction with the West Texas Food Bank, serving a total of 384 students. Monthly visits to the pantry decreased from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024; however, produce engagement increased. Overall clientele has increased by 254 percent since the pantry opened in Fall 2022.

For more information, email katy.williams@sulross.edu.

Photo: Katy Williams