SHOP Giving Out Holiday Baskets, Open During Break For Students On Campus

By Jose Hernandez

OSWEGO – Students Helping Oz Peers, also known as SHOP, has put together baskets for students in need again this year. They had 3 offerings, with a vegetarian, meat, and traditional option. They included aluminum tins for cooking, as well as can openers. SHOP plans to make a winter bag for winter break. The goal is for students who may be on campus during the winter break to have some food while the dining halls aren’t open.

“Even though the dining halls, with limited hours during winter break, will be open, I think they are closed the week after winter break. So, it would be nice to collect enough food for a week for those kids that will still be in town,” said April Lopez. Lopez is hoping to have a SHOP open during winter break with limited hours. SHOP is currently open during the first 2 days of fall break, from 10 AM until 4 PM.

Lopez hopes that people who may not have had time to request a bag may still be able to get food with SHOP being open over break. Donations are accepted by SHOP. One way of donating is bringing your donation of clothing or food to a SHOP, located in the basement at 3 Penfield Library. SHOP will also be starting an Amazon Wishlist where anyone can either support by making monetary donations for their purchasing or get items from the list and deliver them to SHOP themselves.

April Lopez is the new Assistant Dean of Students and Basic Needs Case Manager at SUNY Oswego. She worked for AmeriCorps for 2 years doing food security work during the pandemic. Doing the food security work during that time inspired her to continue to combat poverty through food programs for those in need. After grad school, she was a Food Security and Basic Needs specialist and Iowa State University and over saw their food pantry. Due to her partner being from New York and Lopez not enjoying her time in Iowa, she was happy to get the opportunity to run Oswego’s food pantry, SHOP.

“This position opened at SUNY Oswego, and I’m very fortunate to that I’m able to oversee the food pantry here. And on top of that do 1 on 1 case management, I’m also the Homeless Liaison. I’m trying to expand as much basic needs programs to students beyond just the food pantry,” said Lopez.

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