NDSU nutrition science student helps lead campus food pantry while strengthening community

The Goods for the Herd Food Pantry, located in the lower level of the NDSU Bookstore, is a community-led initiative that provides supplemental food assistance and basic necessities to eligible students.

For Nicole Neumiller, the pantry’s coordinator and a nutrition science student, the work is more than a volunteer opportunity; it’s a way to address one of the most fundamental barriers to student success.

Neumiller began volunteering at the pantry two years ago and quickly realized the experience aligned with what she was learning in the classroom.

“Through my degree in nutrition science, I have been taught about the importance of balanced nutrition and counseling about nutrition,” she said. “However, following Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we cannot counsel about nutrition without having access to food first. My passion for health and wellness encouraged me to start at the root cause: food insecurity.”

As pantry coordinator, Neumiller manages volunteers, works with retailers such as Great Plains Food Bank, develops recipes for nutrition education and creates connections across the NDSU and Fargo communities. She also ensures that the pantry adheres to food safety regulations and remains well-stocked each week.

Overall, the role has deepened Neumiller’s understanding of how food insecurity affects students.

“I have learned that food insecurity can show itself in many different ways,” she said. “In the past, I mainly focused on lack of access to food. However, food insecurity is often a small part of a larger issue. Not having access to food can also translate to not having access to hygiene products, money for rent and increased financial stress.”

Much of the pantry’s food supply comes from Great Plains Food Bank through monthly orders and retail rescue. The pantry also partners with Costco to receive weekly donations of hygiene products, snacks and drinks. Other community organizations — including hotels and dentist offices — have donated dental and hygiene items.

Donations also come in the form of items that can spark some joy. Hope Blooms, a nonprofit that turns donated flowers into bouquets for food pantries, nursing homes and hospitals, recently donated bouquets to the pantry for Valentine’s Day.

Additional donations come from individuals and student organizations across campus. A list of the pantry’s most-needed items is available online for those interested in contributing.

Neumiller said the donations and support reinforce the importance of community involvement in addressing student needs.

“I am thankful for the impact that Goods for the Herd has on the NDSU community,” she said. “It truly takes a village to end food insecurity.”

She has also found the pantry coordinator role fulfilling, especially as she’s seen relationships grow within the pantry community.

“The most rewarding moments I have experienced have been seeing the growth in our pantry volunteers, building relationships, educating about food insecurity and hearing the stories of those who use the pantry,” she said. “Food is not just a basic need; it is a connection to others and a source of hope.”

That community is strengthened each week by volunteers made up of students, faculty and staff. From checking in pantry quests to unloading retail deliveries and restocking shelves, Neumiller said she loves seeing regular volunteers and guests being so excited to greet each other.

In addition to managing the pantry, Neumiller leads outreach efforts across campus. Last October, she visited the NDSU Childcare Center during its annual Caring and Sharing Week to talk with children about the importance of helping others.

“We talked about the importance of donating food and who the items were going to help,” she said. “We also read ‘Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light’ by Apryl Stott to better understand giving without expecting anything in return.”

After the discussion, the children filled bags with shelf-stable food for individuals who had missed their pantry appointments. At the end of the week, they also collected and donated items for the Little Free Pantry, a mini pantry located on the first floor of the Memorial Union that is available to anyone in need.

Neumiller said she is grateful for the opportunity to serve in the role and for the many people across the NDSU community who support efforts to reduce food insecurity on campus. She is also thankful for the guidance of her supervisor, Angela Reinke, lead student case manager.

Although Neumiller will graduate at the end of the semester with both a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science and a master’s degree in exercise and nutrition science, she remains hopeful about the future of the Goods for the Herd Food Pantry.

One of her goals this semester includes expanding the pantry’s appointment availability so guests can receive food more than once a month.

“First and foremost, our goal is to end food insecurity on campus by addressing the larger issues that cause it,” she said. “The Fargo-Moorhead Coalition to End Homelessness focuses on making homelessness rare, brief and one-time. My goal is that food insecurity on our campus becomes rare, brief and one-time.”