A shelf inside the University of Central Oklahoma’s Central Pantry contains chips, bagged popcorn, condiments and seasonings on Feb. 5, 2025. (Photo by Mikaila Kraus/For Oklahoma Voice)
EDMOND — It’s not unusual to see a line snaking its way down the hallway leading to the entrance of a small room tucked inside the University of Central Oklahoma’s student union.
The university’s students and employees wait in those long lines to choose items like nonperishable food staples such as beans, rice and canned goods from neatly labeled shelves. But unlike the grocery store, these shelves have no price tags and the items are free to UCO students and employees who need them…