Unperishable Service

Even before she arrived at Linfield University, first year student Isabella Dixon was active in fighting food insecurity.

“I volunteered for three summers at the local food bank in Missoula, Montana,” Isabella said. “When a call went out for a food pantry coordinator, I thought it would be a wonderful way to give back to the community.”

To avoid stigma, the Linfield food pantry gives students 24/7, ID-card access to supplemental food so that no student goes hungry. As coordinator, Isabella manages the stock and resupplies the shelves.

Linfield’s food pantry stocks a variety of snacks and non-perishable goods – pasta, sauces and soups, for example – that can be combined for meals. Hygiene products ranging from toothbrushes to tampons and pads are also available.

A few hundred students visit the pantry every week.

Isabella said the few awkward moments when she crosses paths with students inside the pantry often turn out to be beneficial for everyone involved. She gets feedback on the types of products she stocks while students find a silent ally on campus.

“Reassuring the students who need the pantry is important because it’s one more way the community can be supportive,” Isabela said.

Her food pantry duties dovetail with her chosen major, international business, which covers all aspects of the business world from marketing to accounting and management to international awareness. Isabella sees volunteering at the pantry as a continuation of the community spirit she discovered at Linfield when she was a prospective student.

On a planned visit to another Oregon university, Isabella ended up with extra time on her hands.

A spur-of-the-moment decision brought her to McMinnville before making the trek back to Montana.

“It was the weekend and most of the offices weren’t open, but we connected with a recruitment officer who spent a couple of hours answering our questions and even arranged for a tour later in the day,” she said.

She was so impressed that she returned to visit Linfield when making her final college decision.

“When I took the second tour, it was a reminder of how strong the community is here and I wanted to be part of that,” she said.