Mark Brubaker and Kristina Lockwood’s generosity has helped transform WSU Vancouver’s Cougar Food Pantry, strengthening a vital resource that combats student hunger with dignity and support.
When Mark Brubaker and Kristina Lockwood relocated from Los Angeles to Camas, WA, they arrived eager to make a difference. Despite having no previous connection to Washington State University—they’re not alumni, employees, or parents of students—Brubaker and Lockwood found inspiration in WSU Vancouver’s Cougar Food Pantry and decided it would be the perfect way to support their new community. It was the beginning of a powerful partnership, proving that you don’t need to be a lifelong Coug to change the lives of WSU students.
“We made a small donation to the pantry, but as we got to know the people running it, we were inspired to do more and our engagement has grown,” Brubaker said. “Every time we’ve walked away from [the Cougar Food Pantry team], we’ve walked away knowing where the dollars were going. We’ve walked away knowing it made a difference in the students’ lives.”
Over just two years, Brubaker and Lockwood have donated $82,000 to the pantry—helping transform it from a small, part-time operation into a thriving student resource hub.
“We’ve had people along the way who helped us,” Brubaker said. “So that’s what you do. You pay it forward.”
Lockwood echoed this sentiment. “I wouldn’t have gone to college without scholarships,” she said. “It’s hard enough to be a student. Feeding yourself or your family shouldn’t be a concern.”
A Growing Need, A Transformative Gift
Food insecurity—a lack of consistent access to healthy food—affects an estimated 23 to 40 percent of college students, according to research from organizations like Temple University’s Hope Center and the National Center for Education Statistics. For state university and commuter students, the rates are even higher.
When Brubaker and Lockwood first encountered the Cougar Food Pantry, it was a modest operation without a single full-time staff member and housed in a literal storage closet. Students could request bags of shelf-stable goods online for pickup, but options were limited. The pantry was making a difference, but it was under-resourced and unable to fully meet growing student needs.
Brubaker and Lockwood’s contributions were key to a dramatic transformation. In January, the pantry will relocate to a larger 711.5 square foot space with refrigeration units, food preparation equipment, and shelving, allowing students to browse and select the items that best suit their needs, creating a more personalized and empowering experience. The pantry was also able to hire a second student Cougar Food Pantry Assistant and a full-time Basic Needs Navigator to assist students and oversee pantry operations.
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature provided partial funding for a Basic Needs Navigator position on college campuses, but it only covered 75 percent of the costs. Brubaker and Lockwood stepped in to close the gap, allowing WSU Vancouver to hire Carmen Herrera to fill this critical role. Herrera, who has been involved with the pantry since 2021, now serves as a dedicated point of contact for students facing challenges such as food insecurity, housing instability, and access to essential resources.
“Support from Mark and Kristina has made a huge difference. We wouldn’t be anywhere close to where we need to be without their generosity,” Herrera said.
A Place of Dignity and Support
With the addition of a full-time Basic Needs Navigator and a move to a larger location on the horizon, the Cougar Food Pantry is transforming how it serves students. Gone are the days of only offering bags of canned goods. Personal hygiene and cleaning products, spices and seasonings, breakfast items, dried beans, legumes, and rice, and even essential items like can openers are increasingly available. Fresh Food Days, held two to three times each semester, likewise enhance pantry offerings by providing fresh proteins, fruits, and vegetables—items often out of reach for students facing financial hardship.
Brubaker and Lockwood hope these and other changes will reduce the stigma some students experience around accessing these resources.
“We hope people will view the new location as a resource center, not just a food pantry,” Lockwood said.
Herrera sees the impact firsthand. “I want to say, ‘thank you.’ The fact that we’re able to fill 596 bags so far this semester is huge. Without this resource and support from Mark, Kristina, and other donors, it’s not an exaggeration to say that some students would be going hungry. Instead, we’re actually able to help families celebrate Thanksgiving.”
Join the Cause this Giving Tuesday
Learn more about how WSU is addressing food security by visiting us online. If you’d like to make a gift to the WSU Vancouver Cougar Food Pantry, please contact Grant Yenney at 360.546.9173 or grant.yenney@wsu.edu.