Alexander Estate Gift and Generous Community Members Help The GRAB Food Pantry Support Students in Need
Imagine the exhaustive hours of study as a medical student learning basic human physiology, histology, anatomy, and biochemistry in the classroom and additional hours in the lab dissecting cadavers and mastering the anatomy of the human body. Then there are the clinical rotations in emergency rooms or outpatient clinics that come later as students move through their journey as tomorrow’s healthcare providers and researchers, not to mention trying to find a community of peers who will walk through the tough journey with them for the next four years.
Now imagine accomplishing those endeavors on an empty stomach. Cognitive abilities significantly decline when students are hungry, affecting the ability to read, write, remember details, and problem-solve, all of which are critical skills for future healthcare professionals.
Research suggests that at least a third of all college students are food insecure, and almost 20% of Baylor students experience food insecurity, meaning without support they do not have access to sufficient food to meet basic needs. Through generous donor support, The GRAB (Grocery Resource at Baylor) is a way to confidentially provide students with nonperishable food and snack items at no cost to them, including canned meat, canned fruits and vegetables, beans, pasta and pasta sauce, cereal, peanut butter and jelly, and protein and snack bars.
Generous community donors and estate gift support from donor Rosalie Alexander have made The GRAB a reality in addressing this pressing and often undiscussed need. More than 100 students from the School of Medicine, School of Health Professions, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences received support from The GRAB each month in its first year.