Each week, 300–400 students from the local community utilize the student food pantry at Grace Lutheran Church in Eugene, Oregon. Students from the University of Oregon, Lane Community College, Gutenberg College, and Bushnell University bring their bags and IDs to Grace, where they freely receive a variety of foods to supplement their regular groceries.
The food is donated through the Food for Lane County program in Eugene. Several local gardeners and generous people bring fresh produce or basic household essentials.
Grace’s pastor, Rev. Joe Baumgarten, noted that most members of the congregation regularly donate. “They’re really supportive of the effort,” he said. Many of the recipients are international students, doctoral candidates, and other nontraditional students. “Many have families – and with the high cost of living here in Eugene, the pantry really reaches those in need.”
The Episcopal Campus Ministries has operated a food pantry for decades, but it moved to Grace Lutheran in 2019. After partnering with the University of Oregon Basic Needs Program, the former LIFE! Lutheran School building was renovated to accommodate the refrigerators and freezers required for the pantry. A new floor was installed to replace the original asbestos tiles.
“The pantry raises awareness among our members about the needs of students. Many people assume students are well-off because the University of Oregon is expensive. But the truth is that many families are impacted by the high cost of college. Students can be far from home and their usual support systems. The pantry provides a little relief for them,” Baumgarten said.
The pantry operates two days a week for several hours. It is staffed by student volunteers and members from the Episcopal church who help stock shelves and organize thedonations. While the pantry is not a place for preaching or sharing the Gospel directly, Grace Lutheran has a shelf by the exit for Portals of Prayer, Bibles, and other materials that the students can take home. Several times a year, Grace also hosts a donation drive to directly support the pantry and the students it serves.
Although Grace does not have a campus ministry, a growing young adult group of members aged 30 and under meets regularly. The partnerships among the Episcopal Campus Ministries, Food for Lane County, the University of Oregon, and Grace Lutheran Church are dedicated to helping students in need and providing resources during times of food insecurity.
“Another important aspect of the pantry for our congregation is these partnerships,” Baumgarten said. “We in the LCMS can be hesitant to enter into official arrangements with other organizations – and sometimes for good reason. But this partnership shows that communities of faith, education, and service can all work together to benefit the people of Eugene as a whole. Who knows? It might lead to further partnerships in the future.”
