NEW SEMESTER, NEW SNACKS WHAT'S NEW IN THE FOOD PANTRY+ ?
- Kean Huy Alado
- Oct 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 19
By Samya Rosario
The Barry Food Pantry+ is new and improved for the fall semester, with a new layout that makes the pantry feel like a free shopping experience.
Located on the second floor of Thompson Hall in room 228, Food Pantry+ has changed its operating hours to Tuesdays from 1–4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 1–4 p.m.
The pantry, which is open to all students, faculty and staff, has also updated the way visitors shop. Instead of being guided by a volunteer, shoppers can now self-shop in the newly redesigned layout, making the process more personal and convenient.
With all these changes the pantry’s mission still remains the same: providing Barry students, faculty and staff with access to free groceries and hygiene essentials. Much of the pantry’s supply comes from donations and its long-standing partnership with Feeding South Florida, which has been a “fundamental pillar” in keeping the pantry’s shelves stocked.
Kativon Makary, pantry manager and coordinator of community resources in the Mission Engagement Department, explained the inspiration behind the shift.
“We wanted to try to give the food pantry more of a grocery store feel and trust customers to take the right amount of items instead of monitoring closely. We’re still checking from afar, but at the moment we are experimenting with this honor system, which might change in the future,” she said.
While this adjustment has made the experience more flexible, it comes with new challenges. Some staff worry about overconsumption.
“Yes, there are concerns,” Makary admitted, “but we want to have an abundance mindset where we trust we will continue to receive enough supply to go around. While some items go quickly, we also have a surplus of produce we hope people take a lot of. We also hope to gain new partners to secure an abundant supply.”
For the students working in the pantry, the new system has had both pros and cons.
Kaiya Allain, a Food Pantry+ workstudy student majoring in business management with a minor in psychology, weighed in on the new design.
“It’s less physical work for me—but at the same time, inventory runs out faster. Overconsumption has definitely become a new challenge to the pantry,” she said.
Kaiya emphasized how crucial partnerships are to the pantry’s success.
“Feeding South Florida has been one of the pillars of keeping our pantry open. We rely a lot on their donations and involvement," she said.
Looking to the future, both staff and students see opportunities for growth. Kaiya hopes for a larger, more modernized space, better and newer inventory and a kiosk system for multilingual check-in.
Makary envisions even more expansion.
“We hope to gain more partners to expand our donations, serve more of the campus community, compost more waste, have the garden provide for the pantry and educate people on the root causes of food insecurity,” she said.
With its updated hours, self-shopping model and continued commitment to service, Food Pantry+ remains a vital part of Barry University life one that not only provides essentials but also builds community and raises awareness of food insecurity.