Gulf Park Pantry

The Gulf Park Pantry welcomes donations to support its mission.

The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Park Campus
Michelle Konscak
730 East Beach Boulevard, Hardy Hall 236
Long Beach, MS 39560

The pantry also accepts donations of food and supplies in Hardy Hall 236,

Items Needed List

Add us to your shopping list

If you need it from the store, chances are we do too! Next time you're at the store, pick up an extra box of cereal or package of toilet paper and donate it to the Pantry. We are always in need of pantry and bathroom staples.

Pick up a little extra

A lot of the things we buy come in value packs. When you need deodorant, buy the value pack and donate the extras to the pantry! When you snag a good deal on a giant pack of paper towels, send a few our way. Have a big box of laundry or dishwasher pods? Put a few in a plastic bag for the Pantry. 

Office Events

Sometimes we end up with extra condiment packages and individually wrapped snacks and utensils. The Pantry can use it! Save the unopened packages for us.

Travel

Who doesn't love those mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap? When your drawers are overflowing with mini bottles, remember that we would love to add those to our bags for students!

Donations are accepted anytime in Hardy Hall 236.

The idea for a food pantry on The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus emerged many years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic provided impetus to make the idea a reality.

During the Fall 2020 semester, USM’s annual Golden Basket project placed its focus on serving USM students. Food items, household goods, and other necessities were gathered by departments across campus to disperse to families in need. After Golden Basket, a surplus of food items remained, and the Office of Student Affairs offered pre-packaged grocery bags to all USM students through a curbside pickup system. Student need was evident; within two weeks, we served over 23 students. The establishment of a sustainable campus food pantry was essential.

A pivotal moment occurred in early January 2021 with a phone call to The College and University Anti-Hunger Alliance of Mississippi, a division of The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi. When the Alliance heard of our efforts to start an on-campus food pantry, we were connected to Extra Table.

Extra Table is a non-profit organization located in Hattiesburg that provides food pantries and soup kitchens across Mississippi with healthy and shelf-stable food. Martha Allen, the Executive Director of Extra Table, offered us a partnership immediately. Since February 2021, Extra Table has supplied the Gulf Park Pantry with monthly deliveries of canned fruits, vegetables, tuna, pastas, and other necessities. 

Thanks to this partnership, the Pantry saw immense growth, and in early spring of 2021, it was given a designated space in Hardy Hall. Fitted with new and spacious shelving, it currently provides a storage and staging area for the Gulf Park Pantry. 

Now, with the help of our generous community, we receive additional donations to supplement the food we receive from Extra Table. We have served over 100 Southern Miss students and counting across all USM Gulf Coast facilities. The Gulf Park Pantry sends our sincerest thanks to each of you.