College life can be a difficult juggling act at times with school work, social events, extra-curricular activities and more. The last thing a college student needs is the financial burden of wondering where their next meal is coming from or if they will be able to buy the clothes they need.
At IUPUI, the Office of Student Advocacy and Support and its Paws initiative have supported the campus community through Paws’ Pantry, Paws’ Closet and Paws’ Bookshelf. This year, the unique challenges of COVID-19 won’t stop Paws from providing students, faculty and staff the services they need.
Paws’ Pantry will be open by appointment on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for students only, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for students, faculty, staff. Walk-in appointments will only be permitted on Thursdays between 10 a.m. to noon, and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Walk-in hours are for students only and two walk-ins per student per semester are allowed.
Appointments for Paws’ Pantry can be made by visiting paws.iupui.edu and need to be made at least 24 hours in advance of the pantry opening. For example, if you would like to make an appointment for any time on Wednesdays, you must register for that appointment by 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Paws’ Pantry is located on the first floor of the Campus Center, just to the left of the elevators in CE 130.
Paws’ Closet will also be open by appointment only on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments can be made by visiting paws.iupui.edu and will need to be made at least 24 hours in advance of the closet opening. The closet will not be able to offer walk-in appointments or fitting room services at this time. Paws’ Closet is located in CA 117.
Students, faculty and staff can get a first look at Paws during Weeks of Welcome. Both Paws’ Pantry and Closet will participate in WOW events, offering a virtual tour of the spaces, as well as a walk-through on how to schedule an appointment. Both events will also be included in the WOW Virtual Resource Fair.
The challenges of COVID-19 have changed the way both the pantry and closet will operate, but several steps have been taken to ensure everyone’s safety at both locations.
In the pantry, the following can be expected:
- By operating on an appointment-only process, only two clients at a time will be at the pantry. Clients will be asked to maintain six feet between each other.
- All clients, volunteers and shoppers are required to wear masks.
- A hand sanitizer station is available at check-in. All clients will be asked to wash their hands when first approaching the check-in table.
- For walk-in hours, if more than a few clients are gathering at the pantry at the same time, a volunteer will give numbers to clients and direct them to a designated waiting area. A second volunteer will coordinate with the pantry and clients to process through the wait list.
In the closet, the following can be expected:
- By operating on an appointment-only process, only one client at a time will be allowed in the closet.
- All clients and volunteers are required to wear masks.
- A hand sanitizer station is available at check-in. All clients will be asked to wash their hands when first approaching the check-in table.
Paws’ Pantry will still be accessible to students that may need to quarantine. Students will still need to fill out the online form, along with sending an email to jagsfood@iupui.edu in order to make accommodations to receive their bag.
“I think our biggest challenge is continuing to provide both services to all that need them, while still maintaining physical distancing and safe practices,” said Shaina Lawrence, assistant director of student advocacy and support. “For the pantry specifically, we have completely changed the logistics of how we operate, which is going to be an adjustment for everyone that volunteers and utilizes that service. We are somewhat concerned with the amount of donations we may or may not receive due to staff and faculty not being on campus as much.”
For those who wish to make donations, Paws’ Pantry has an orange crate just outside of the pantry doors, and there are several crates stationed around campus. Non-perishable food donations can be dropped off in the crates, while perishable items must be dropped off at the pantry during operating hours. Those wishing to donate can also email jagsfood@iupui.edu to coordinate a pick-up or drop-off of large donations.
Paws’ Closet will continue with donation days. The first donation day of the semester will be Wednesday, September 9, from noon to 4 p.m. in CE 305. Appointments will be required to drop off donations.
For more information on Paws, visit paws.iupui.edu.