Geisinger College of Health Sciences is looking to expand the food pantry that has been in place at its Scranton campus to other locations as the school receives recognition for addressing hunger among students.

The college received the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus designation in the spring. The statewide program aims to ensure no student goes hungry on a college campus, builds a coalition of colleges and universities focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students, creates opportunities for connection among student hunger advocates, provides resources and strategies for campuses, and supports opportunities to apply for grants related to addressing food insecurity.

It's the first time the college, which has campuses in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Sayre, Danville, Lewistown and southern New Jersey, has received the designation.

Joel Rosencrance, the college's director of student well-being, who leads the food pantry committee, said the designation provides the college funding to offer educational opportunities and options for those who may be experiencing food insecurity.

"It allows our campus community to focus on being the best future medical professionals and not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, because that can be such a major concern for so many folks," he said. "It's such a great thing to be a part of this and to be a part of a solution to a problem that is more widespread than I think people realize."

A study by the National Institutes of Health estimates the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses ranges from 19% to 56%, with many campuses reporting food insecurity prevalence around four times the national average.

To meet the need, the college has a drop-in food pantry in the medical science building filled with food donated by local businesses, as well as from college employees. Rosencrance said the college is planning to expand it to other Geisinger College of Health Sciences locations in Sayre, Danville and Lewistown, and at Geisinger Community Medical Center, Scranton, and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Twp., which has clinical spaces for students.

"The aim is to have the food pantry included in those spaces as well so that not only the students have a space on campus to go to, but they know that there's some food there for them as well," he said.

The college is also looking to improve what is offered at the pantry, trying to provide better nutrition, including food that is healthy and can be taken out.

Expanding the food pantry came about as a result of a basic needs survey administered by fourth-year student Anitza Quintero to the student body at the college's four campuses last year and earlier this year. The survey asked students about their demographics, financial situation, whether they have experienced more or less hunger, and their access to transportation.

The results from last year revealed that 26% of the college's student body experienced food insecurity, mostly in the northeast and among those who are low income. The college plans to use that data to not only expand the pantry but to improve the existing one -- for example, adding information on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. She said respondents asked about SNAP eligibility in the survey.

"It is the visualized proof that food insecurity exists in all medical schools," Quintero said. "We know that it impacts learning and when you're impacting your learning it'll eventually impact how you care for patients, and so we really want to have the sustainability of a food pantry that has everything that students can utilize and also reduce stigma around food pantries."

The college is also starting a chapter of the Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine, an organization aiming to address issues medical students may encounter, in the fall. The college received a $4,000 grant to start it. Having the chapter will not only ensure funding to improve food pantries across all the campuses, Quintero said, but also gives students volunteer, mentorship, leadership and research opportunities.

She said food insecurity not only means lacking access to good food but also not having time to cook a good meal.

"It is something that I really hope people understand. It can happen to anybody," Quintero said. "We want students to be able to flourish in every capacity that they can."