Mark Taylor: Paying it forward on basic needs
February 7, 2022
Having basic needs insecurities as a student is one of the most difficult things to manage. You do not have a whole lot of say on the direction you go. When I faced them, what kept me hopeful was the number of available resources in my community. Growing up in St. Paul, resources and help from my community were easy to find. It seemed that when a roof was needed, a roof was provided; when tummies were empty, there was food to eat; when medical care was needed, medical care was given.
I now live in Greater Minnesota and have spent a portion of my time working with people in need of help. One of the biggest challenges is finding accessible resources. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people need air, food, water, shelter, clothing and sleep to move towards self-actualization. To ask a student to choose between one of these needs is detrimental to their goals, dreams and well-being. Ridgewater has created a Basic Needs resource to help students navigate the resources available in our communities. The website offers resources that help address housing, childcare, transportation, mental health and much more!
Ridgewater College also provides an on-campus food pantry for students to use. The Willmar Warrior Pantry is open Monday-Friday 9am-3:30pm and is located in Student Services building A145A. The Hutchinson campus pantry is located in the hallway between rooms 153 and 158. Anyone facing challenges with food purchases is welcome at the Warrior Pantry. If you need additional help please contact the Community Resource Specialist Mark Taylor via phone: 320-222-6932 or email: [email protected]