During unprecedented health crisis, USAO’s Campus Co-op receives nearly $10,000 in donations

Like every responsible educational institution in the country, the University of cience and Arts of Oklahoma is working hard to ensure it can still meet the needs of its students in the face of the most serious public health crisis this nation has faced in over a century.

Thankfully, many alumni and other friends of the university have stepped up to support students during the COVID-19 pandemic. USAO’s Campus Co-Op has received nearly $10,000 in donations. The Co-Op provides supplemental assistance for those in need within the USAO community, decreasing the impact of food insecurities on academic success.

“Given USAO’s nature as a small college, many alumni and other friends within our close-knit community were eagerly reaching out to us, asking to help in any way they could,” said President John Feaver. “Food insecurity is a very real issue for many Drovers, and the Campus Co-Op’s inventory has been badly depleted by this crisis. We are all in this together, and I cannot say how humbling and inspiring it is to see the extent people are willing to go to keep our community safe and healthy.”

Located in the university’s Lawson Court Clubhouse, the Campus Co-Op includes both perishable and non-perishable foodstuffs, with students welcome to take items as needed. In January 2017, a university task force conducted a survey to assess the need for a food pantry. Eighty-six percent of students either strongly agreed or agreed that such a service was needed at USAO, while 68 percent of faculty and staff felt the same way.

To donate to the Campus Co-Op, visit usao.edu/giving. For the latest information on USAO’s coronavirus response, visit usao.edu/coronavirus.