State university teams up with ARDCI to establish pantry

By Edna Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes --- Catanduanes State University (CatSU) in collaboration with Agricultural and Rural Development for Catanduanes Inc. (ARDCI) Corporation recently launched a student pantry at CatSU Compound.

Patterned from the community pantry, the project aimed to alleviate the food insecurity that students were facing. It was an offshoot of a fund-raising activity that was held last month by ARDCI Microfinancing Inc. and its corporate organization, headed by ARDCI Foundation Managing Director Ma. Cecilia L. Zantua.

In her message, Zantua said the project was envisioned to help the students not to skip meals just to save their allowance for some other school’s needs adding that the pantry was also a project of honesty and kindness of people who can give what they can, and for students to get only what they need, and to think about other students who are also in need.

For her part, Project Manager Karie Ann V. Santos shared that the general mechanism was like that of the community pantry during the pandemic with those students included in the low-income families as target beneficiaries. She also encouraged other students, employees, faculty, friends and acquaintances with generous hearts to share their blessings at the CatSU Student Pantry.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aida A. Dianela, one of ARDCI’s consultants, and a former CatSU Director of Student Affairs of CatSU, and also a member of the CatSU Board of Regents, was happy to share about the Student Pantry.

The pantry was located at the pavilion of the former Office of Student Support Services and was open from 8AM−6PM, Mondays through Saturdays. All students were welcome to use the pantry once a week. (PIA5/Catanduanes)