Tiger Pantry & Basic Needs Assistant

Serve With Purpose. Support Your Fellow Tigers. Make a Difference.

Are you passionate about helping others and strengthening your campus community? Jackson State University Housing & Residence Life is seeking dependable, service-oriented students to support the Tiger Food Pantry and departmental basic-needs initiatives.

The Tiger Pantry & Basic Needs Assistant helps provide a welcoming, organized, and supportive environment for students accessing food, clothing, personal care products, school supplies, and other essential resources.

This position offers hands-on experience in customer service, inventory management, community engagement, and student support while contributing to the well-being and success of fellow Tigers.

Position Responsibilities

The Tiger Pantry & Basic Needs Assistant may:

• Pantry Operations: Assist with daily pantry operations, opening and closing procedures, and maintaining an organized service environment.
• Order Preparation: Help retrieve, organize, package, and prepare approved student orders for pickup.
• Inventory Management: Monitor inventory levels, organize shelves, track supplies, and assist with inventory counts.
• Student Assistance: Welcome students, explain available services, and direct students to appropriate resources.
• Basic-Needs Support: Assist with organizing and distributing clothing, personal care items, school supplies, and other approved resources.
• Food Safety & Organization: Help maintain clean storage areas, organize products, monitor expiration dates, and follow established food-handling procedures.
• Documentation: Assist with maintaining accurate inventory records, documenting distributions, and organizing operational records.
• Outreach & Engagement: Help promote pantry services, distribution opportunities, and basic-needs initiatives.
• Resource Coordination: Assist with organizing donations and preparing supplies for departmental outreach efforts.

Preferred Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills.
• Dependability, professionalism, and a willingness to serve others.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and respect student privacy.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Basic computer skills, including familiarity with spreadsheets and online forms.
• Interest in community service, student affairs, social services, or nonprofit operations is a plus.

Professional Development Opportunities

Through this position, students can gain experience in:

• Food pantry and basic-needs operations.
• Inventory management and recordkeeping.
• Customer service and student support.
• Community outreach and engagement.
• Program coordination and resource distribution.
• Food safety and organizational procedures.
• Higher education student support services.

Position Expectations

The Tiger Pantry & Basic Needs Assistant works under the direction of the designated Housing & Residence Life professional staff member.

Student employees are expected to protect student privacy, follow established eligibility and distribution procedures, maintain accurate records, and treat every student with dignity and respect.

Student employees may not independently approve student eligibility, change order statuses outside their assigned responsibilities, authorize distributions, or make exceptions to departmental procedures.

Application Information

Interested students should monitor the Housing & Residence Life Student Employment page for application announcements and available opportunities.

Help us ensure every Tiger has access to the resources they need to thrive.