La Casa, the Latino Cultural Center at Indiana University Bloomington, is doing more than just providing community to students on campus. Now, they’re providing free food.

Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, La Casa is offering a free produce pantry open to all students on campus. The weekly deliveries include fresh eggs, bread and vegetables — but they range from general products to specific cultural items like bok choy.

The food pantry has generated more interest than anyone involved could ever imagine. The food goes extremely quickly each week and several students even call in head of time to reserve bags of their favorite foods.

This is not only a way to encourage students to cook fresh meals, but it’s also an effort to aid in the food insecurity on campus. The average monthly grocery bill for a single person in the United States is between $238.46 and $434.33, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. While being a full-time college student, many can’t afford a bill that high.

La Casa’s food pantry is a no-judgement zone to take the food you need with no questions asked.

The pantry’s food is provided by People’s Cooperative Market and Administrative Generalist Coordinator Ruth Vaca noted that a former student was the one who introduced the idea.

People’s Cooperative Market participates in Community Supported Agriculture, which essentially includes a community of growers and consumers that support each other and create a “community farm.”

Now, thanks to the food provided, students are free to cook snacks and meals right at La Casa with their friends. They’re able to experiment with new ingredients and recipes straight after picking up their food.

According to a study conducted by The Hope Center from 2021, 34 percent of college students were food insecure in 2020. La Casa hopes that this initiative will inspire other cultural centers at IU to follow in their footsteps n order to decrease food insecurity on campus.

La Casa is located at 715 E. Seventh St. and to reserve a bag in advance, students can call 812-855-0174.