NMC hosts mobile food pantry in Traverse City for students, residents

Northwestern Michigan College hosted a mobile food pantry in its main parking lot in Traverse City on Monday, March 2, offering drive-through and walk-up distribution staffed by volunteers and designed with students and families in mind while remaining open to anyone who needs help, UpNorthLive reported.

The college operates a year-round student pantry as part of Student Life. The NMC Student Resources page states, "The NMC Food Pantry operates year-round in order to supply students with nutritious food and personal items in order to combat food insecurity," and the campus provides additional supports including transportation assistance, Goodwill vouchers and lunch coupons for students who complete a resource intake form.

NMC's own communications earlier this semester detailed a separate distribution: a Jan. 30 Communiqué announced a Monday, Feb. 2 mobile pantry in the Maple Lot on the Front Street campus scheduled from 3–5 p.m. The Communiqué said, "We have over 4,700 pounds of food to share with our students and community," and listed menu items including "apples, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, pasta, cottage cheese, beef sticks and dried beans."

That Feb. 2 notice also included traffic and pickup guidance for the Maple Lot distribution: "We ask that recipients queue up in the car line in a counter-clockwise circle around the edge of the parking lot," and warned participants to "please do not block the main access roads, be aware of other students using the parking spaces and watch for children being picked up at the Oleson Learning Center adjacent to the Maple Lot." The Communiqué added that "If a student is unable to attend the distribution due to a class conflict, they may send a friend or family member to pick-up on their behalf."

Local coverage noted that while Monday's March 2 food drive has concluded, another mobile pantry is scheduled for Monday, March 16, with drive-thru and walk-thru options available, according to UpNorthLive. UpNorthLive's report and NMC's Instagram post both confirmed the college used campus parking space for the outreach and that volunteers handled distribution.

Students and community members seeking ongoing assistance or looking to volunteer can contact Student Life at (231) 995-1118 or studentlife@nmc.edu, or reach out to Paul Kolak at pkolak@nmc.edu. Donations of non-perishable food items and toiletries are accepted at the Osterlin Building (Building #3 on the Front Street Campus map), and monetary gifts are handled through the NMC Foundation via the college’s giving page.

NMC lists its main campus address as 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686. As the college continues the mobile pantry series and year-round pantry operations, Student Life and NMC Communiqué will carry updates about future dates, logistics and how the campus plans to support students facing food insecurity.