By Jayde Huebner
The classroom seemed like any other: whiteboards covering a wall, long tables lined up in rows with sturdy, black plastic chairs. Hanging from the ceiling was a projector screen and just to the left the words that signaled the topic of the day’s assignment: “food sanitation”.
It may have been a typical classroom. But the scene was not at your typical university. Welcome to Pantry University.
Pantry University is where once hungry and homeless are given the opportunity to learn food handling and sanitation skills that enable them to work in the city’s food banks and soup kitchens as well as provide them with tools that can help them land a job and get them back on their own two feet.
According to the program, some students of the university even go on to become teachers of the classrooms they once sat in learning culinary skills—a job which also pays.
Since 2004, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has offered food handling, nutrition courses, food preparation along with other useful skills that revolve around the kitchen and food to Chicago’s community, according to the GCFD website.
“I view this not as a program, but as a school – a classroom.” Ella Bradford said. “It allows people to not only enlighten their current knowledge, but gives them a change to develop schools that are useful in every-day life,” Bradford added.
Bradford is the coordinator for the Pantry University and is responsible for class structure and many other aspects of the university. Some of her favorites include picking which classes are going to be offered and scheduling students to participate in them.
According to officials, Pantry University has seen 1,300 students since they opened their doors five years ago. Out of the 1,300, more than 300 have earned a food handling license – and 90% of the 300 have passed a state-wide exam relating to the topics.
The two classes offered this spring at Pantry University are food service sanitation and nutrition in four different subtopics: senior nutrition, childhood nutrition, holiday nutrition and diabetes nutrition. These classes are not only offered at a variety of different times and dates, but they also in different languages
Bradford also says that even some restaurants in the area send their staff and food handlers over to refresh their skills and gain new knowledge and updated information. The classes are open to everyone, but at no costs to those who are not homeless or hungry. According to the Pantry University staff, all of the proceeds from those who do pay go right back into the school.
Pantry University, like most other schools, requires materials, texts and financial contributions in order for it to run efficiently. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is the backbone of the Pantry University, so most of its funding is provided through the organization. It also receives funding from other private donors and contributors.
Joan Bondi, a chief financial worker at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, says that the Pantry University is one of the programs she worries about least when it comes to finances.
“Ever since its opening in 2004, people took such interest in the university that it really has yet to struggle financially,” Bondi said.
She claims that she does worry, however, how the programs funding will look five to 10 years from now. With the suffering economy and everyone’s wallets hurting, Bondi says that every single program and person is affected by the economic distress.
“People take interest in anything that’s new and interesting – especially if it not only feeds the hungry but teaches them tools that will allow them to put food in their mouths by themselves,” Bondi added.
Bondi also said that some of the professors at the university volunteer their time to help and teach the students.
In the classrooms, however, there seems to be an overwhelming sense of fullness over the opportunity to learn and a chance that just might change their lives.
Jack Hester, a student of Pantry University, says that being encouraged to enroll was the turning point in his life.
“It gave me new motive, a reason to get up – because I knew I would be doing something useful,” Hester said.
The classroom seemed like any other: whiteboards covering a wall, long tables lined up in rows with sturdy, black plastic chairs. Hanging from the ceiling was a projector screen and just to the left the words that signaled the topic of the day’s assignment: “food sanitation”.
It may have been a typical classroom. But the scene was not at your typical university. Welcome to Pantry University.
Pantry University is where once hungry and homeless are given the opportunity to learn food handling and sanitation skills that enable them to work in the city’s food banks and soup kitchens as well as provide them with tools that can help them land a job and get them back on their own two feet.
According to the program, some students of the university even go on to become teachers of the classrooms they once sat in learning culinary skills—a job which also pays.
Since 2004, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has offered food handling, nutrition courses, food preparation along with other useful skills that revolve around the kitchen and food to Chicago’s community, according to the GCFD website.
“I view this not as a program, but as a school – a classroom.” Ella Bradford said. “It allows people to not only enlighten their current knowledge, but gives them a change to develop schools that are useful in every-day life,” Bradford added.
Bradford is the coordinator for the Pantry University and is responsible for class structure and many other aspects of the university. Some of her favorites include picking which classes are going to be offered and scheduling students to participate in them.
According to officials, Pantry University has seen 1,300 students since they opened their doors five years ago. Out of the 1,300, more than 300 have earned a food handling license – and 90% of the 300 have passed a state-wide exam relating to the topics.
The two classes offered this spring at Pantry University are food service sanitation and nutrition in four different subtopics: senior nutrition, childhood nutrition, holiday nutrition and diabetes nutrition. These classes are not only offered at a variety of different times and dates, but they also in different languages
Bradford also says that even some restaurants in the area send their staff and food handlers over to refresh their skills and gain new knowledge and updated information. The classes are open to everyone, but at no costs to those who are not homeless or hungry. According to the Pantry University staff, all of the proceeds from those who do pay go right back into the school.
Pantry University, like most other schools, requires materials, texts and financial contributions in order for it to run efficiently. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is the backbone of the Pantry University, so most of its funding is provided through the organization. It also receives funding from other private donors and contributors.
Joan Bondi, a chief financial worker at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, says that the Pantry University is one of the programs she worries about least when it comes to finances.
“Ever since its opening in 2004, people took such interest in the university that it really has yet to struggle financially,” Bondi said.
She claims that she does worry, however, how the programs funding will look five to 10 years from now. With the suffering economy and everyone’s wallets hurting, Bondi says that every single program and person is affected by the economic distress.
“People take interest in anything that’s new and interesting – especially if it not only feeds the hungry but teaches them tools that will allow them to put food in their mouths by themselves,” Bondi added.
Bondi also said that some of the professors at the university volunteer their time to help and teach the students.
In the classrooms, however, there seems to be an overwhelming sense of fullness over the opportunity to learn and a chance that just might change their lives.
Jack Hester, a student of Pantry University, says that being encouraged to enroll was the turning point in his life.
“It gave me new motive, a reason to get up – because I knew I would be doing something useful,” Hester said.
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