The Community Resource Room (CRR) of the REEF Support Center (Resilience, Efficacy, and Empowerment through Foundational support services) has been open for one year, helping alleviate barriers to accessing food and other essential items for Simmons students.
The REEF Support Center, a support hub for Simmons students, is led by Director Matoaka Kipp, a Simmons alum. When the REEF opened on October 4, 2021, Kipp knew that food access across college campuses was a hot-button issue, and upon speaking with students, they learned there was a need for a Simmons food and household item pantry. From October 12, 2021, to September 1, 2022, Kipp was in planning mode, running feedback and listening sessions on food insecurity on campus and sending a survey that received about 300 responses.
Using the money left over from Aramark’s grant to Simmons in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kipp placed the first bulk order of thousands of items, and the CRR officially opened in September 2022. Today, the CRR is a small part of the REEF budget, but Kipp says, “A large portion of what we offer is through donations.”
Shayla Melanson, a senior Social Work major, is a Food Advocate for the CRR as her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Placement. She focuses on outreach and contacting potential organizations willing to donate. The CRR partners with FoodLink, Fresh Food Truck, and Project Bread, which screen for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility. They also receive donations from companies like Hippeas and Kate’s Real Food.
The Community Resource Room makes a lot of decisions based on student feedback. There is a question on the food order form where people can say what they desire for the future. Kipp says something that has come up a lot is that people want “cereal and seaweed. Seaweed is excellent because it is gluten-free, vegan, tasty, and cheap.” They underscored the importance of holding space for feedback. “I feel like a resource fails when it is no longer informed by the folks utilizing it, and we do a pretty good job at ensuring it’s front and center.”
Kipp and Melanson emphasized how the CRR is meant for every student, regardless of financial or housing situation. Kipp says, “If it’s a resource by and for the community, that means all community members, and although that might not be the most financially stable model… at the end of the day, I felt like if everyone is using this resource, everyone is benefiting.”
`Melanson explained how she is trying to spread the word about the CRR. She told the Voice, “As a senior, many of my friends no longer live on campus and are commuters, so if they’re talking about grocery shopping, I’ll tell them they can order from the Community Resource Room and get some of that stuff for free. It’s a good resource and a way to save money… Now that I’m so aware of it, I’m trying to ensure everyone is aware.”
