Lamb Weston Donates $25K To Help WSU Students In The Tri-Cities

On Tuesday Lamb Weston announced a $25,000 donation to help hungry students on the Washington State University Tri-Cities campus. This is the third donation of that size made by Lamb Weston to help students facing food insecurity during the pandemic. The funds will help the Cougar Cupboard, a food pantry program that allows students to access individual food items or pick-up a package of food for themselves and their families. The Cupboard features both fresh and pre-packaged food and toiletry items.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continuous support of Lamb Weston,” WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes said. “Things can be difficult amid the pandemic. This support goes a long way to help students and their families by allowing them to continue their education. Students don’t have to make the choice between eating or continuing with their college education in pursuit of a brighter future.”

Deb Dihel, vice president innovation for Lamb Weston, said Lamb Weston is proud to continue its partnership with WSU Tri-Cities.

“We understand the need students have for affordable ways to feed themselves and their families,” she said. “For the last two years, we have seen our investment in the Cougar Cupboard leveraged to provide students safe and discreet access to nutritious foods.”

Haynes said food insecurity is often a negatively stigmatized topic. The Cougar Cupboard, she said, helps to reduce that stigma and normalize the challenge.

“With even more people seeking help during this unprecedented year, we want to make sure that the WSU Tri-Cities Cougar Cupboard has the staff and supplies necessary to meet the needs of students to keep them on-track and focused on their education in pursuit of a productive and rewarding career,” Dihel said.

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