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Delta Dental Donation Supports Health and Wellness at the Bear Pantry

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The Bear Pantry at Missouri State University is expanding its impact, thanks to a generous in-kind donation from Delta Dental to the MSU Foundation. This thoughtful contribution of oral hygiene products—including dental floss, toothpaste, and toothbrushes—will be distributed through the Bear Pantry to support the health and wellness of our campus community.

CCE Student Specialist, McKennzee Newton, displays donated products.

Access to oral care products is a key component of overall wellness but is often overlooked in conversations about basic needs. By providing these essential hygiene items, Delta Dental is helping the Bear Pantry further its mission of reducing barriers and supporting student success.

“We’re grateful for Delta Dental’s commitment to supporting holistic student wellness,” said Alex Johnson, Director of the Center for Community Engagement. “This donation helps us serve our community more fully and ensures that Bear Pantry guests have access to both nutritious food and critical personal care items.”

The Bear Pantry serves all members of the Missouri State University community, including students, faculty, and staff. Together, with the support of partners like Delta Dental and the MSU Foundation, the Bear Pantry is advancing its mission to meet basic needs and build a stronger, healthier campus community.

For more information on how to donate or get involved with the Bear Pantry, visit https://www.missouristate.edu/CCE/bear-pantry.htm.

 

Students travel and serve during Fall Break

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During Fall Break 2024, students joined the Bear Breaks Immersion program to serve alongside communities outside of Springfield. One group of Bear Breakers went to Omaha, NE to serve the pediatric population and their families. Missouri State students served with Heart Heroes and Roald McDonald House.

Another group of Bear Breakers went to Kansas City, MO where they learned from organizations supporting people struggling with addiction. Students served with First Call and Shelter KC in the Men’s Center.

Students pose for a picture beside a Ronald McDonald statue.
Students prepared and served dinner for families at Ronald McDonald House in Omaha, NE.

Bear Breaks is a student-led program focused on service, leadership, and active citizenship. Students who participate in these trips bring what they learn from other communities back to Springfield and Missouri State University.

seven students stand in front of a sign at First Call, a non-profit in Kansas City, MO
Students served with First Call in Kansas City sorting and preparing space for drug prevention programs.

Learn more about Bear Breaks Immersion programs

 

 

Bears Fight Food Insecurity during Homecoming 2024

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Missouri State University’s 2024 Homecoming was more than just a celebration…

Wire shelves full of canned goods, and full refrigerators.
The Bear Pantry, located in Plaster Student Union, is stocked thanks to the Homecoming drive!

it was an opportunity for students to make a meaningful impact on food access in our community. Through a coordinated donation drive supporting both Ozarks Food Harvest and MSU’s Bear Pantry, MSU students came together to address a pressing issue: food insecurity. This project not only showcased students’ commitment to community engagement but also served as a powerful demonstration of the university’s Public Affairs Mission in action.

Student organizations from across campus donated 23,228 pounds of food!

Student stands behind pallets of donated canned food.
A student leader from the Bear Pantry looks at a fraction of the donated goods from Homecoming 2024.

This collective action has created real change, addressing critical needs within both the MSU community and the wider Ozarks region.

Special thanks go to the Office of Student Engagement and the 2024 Homecoming Committee for making this initiative possible. Conner Neal, the Homecoming Philanthropy Chair, led the charge in this impactful project. The Plaster Student Union (home of the Bear Pantry) provided space for the event. This collaborative effort reflects the dedication and generosity of MSU students to make a positive difference.

 

 

 

 

 

Learn more about Ozarks Food Harvest

Learn more about the Bear Pantry at Missouri State University

DSS partners with Missouri State University to support Bears

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New resource available for the Missouri State University community

Thanks to an initiative from Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, Missouri State University will have a Department of Social Services case manager on campus each Friday in the Center for Community Engagement (Plaster Student Union 131) from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm this semester to assist with:

  • SNAP (Food Stamps)
  • Child Care
  • Temporary Assistance (TANF)
  • Medicaid

The case manager will take appointments and walk-ins of people employed or enrolled at Missouri State University.

Schedule a Friday appointment with Missouri Department of Social Services, Family Support Division

Dig in with fellow Bears. Take part in the Waste Audit.

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Missouri State’s Sustainability Strategic Plan aims to expand recycling across the campus, increase awareness of waste minimization programming, and divert more material from the landfill. These goals are possible with the support of students and staff like you. How so, you ask? This fall, you can join the Missouri State Sustainability team in digging into and sorting hundreds of pounds of campus waste on behalf of MSU’s 2021 Comprehensive Waste Characterization Study.

Serve with fellow Bears

The Missouri State community is invited to participate in a Waste Audit.  Material from 18 facilities across campus will be sorted into nearly 20 different categories, then be weighed and tracked accordingly.

This Waste Audit will be a critical piece of MSU’s Waste Characterization Study. The study aims to reveal MSU’s campus-wide waste composition, as well as opportunities for MSU to better rethink, redesign, reduce, reuse and recycle its waste. The forthcoming report will empower every Bear to support MSU’s Waste Minimization and Diversion commitments.

Join us in this valuable effort by volunteering! Daily shifts are open from Tuesday, September 28 to Wednesday, October 6. Sign up for any and all shifts in which you’d like to participate.

Learn more and sign up

The Waste Audits, on behalf of the Waste Characterization Study, will be conducted under the guidance of The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), a unit of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois. ISTC has created a methodology for waste stream characterization and evaluation that provides campus-level performance measures and achievable recommendations for improvement.

For questions or additional information please contact Doug Neidigh, Neidigh2009@MissouriState.edu and April Janssen, alj5@illinois.edu.

Learn more about Sustainability initiatives at Missouri State