Food insecurity is an issue that affects groups of people across socio-economic statuses and life stages, but for college students, it can be a silent epidemic.
Disproportionately affecting students at a higher rate than others in the local communities where they go to school, an estimated 20% of college students nationwide struggle with food insecurity. Defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food or quality food for a healthy, active lifestyle, many experiencing food insecurity don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
While life in college can already feel challenging enough, students facing food insecurity also have to grapple with its compounded adverse effects such as poor academic performance, mental health and physical health. In Aggieland, that’s where The 12th Can comes in. For the last 12 years, this recognized student organization has been on a mission to defeat food insecurity at Texas A&M, and they’ve been hard at work expanding their operations to be a force for good.
A History of Aggies Serving Aggies
In true Aggie spirit, The 12th Can became a reality at Texas A&M as an idea that came from students.
After visiting a food pantry at another school in the SEC, then-student-body-president John Claybrook brought the idea back to Texas A&M and partnered with a student organization called Texas Aggies Making Changes to bring it to life. From those efforts, a small pantry was established offering mostly dry goods with a limited selection of fresh food in just one fridge and freezer.
"When I look back at those early days 12 years ago, I remember the urgency I felt when I learned that some of our fellow Aggies were going hungry, that graduate students with families were struggling in ways that felt invisible to most of us. We started with that simple conviction: no student at Texas A&M should go hungry. Due to support from Tom Reber and Division of Student Affairs leadership as well several other student groups, we were able to get this idea off the ground that first year.
I never could have imagined the impact the 12th Can has had on thousands of students since 2013. What moves me all these years later is knowing that a succession of extraordinary students have carried this forward, each year building on what came before. They show that small groups of passionate people can make an extraordinary difference. The 12th Can sends an important message across campus, that no matter your background or circumstances — you are welcome here. You are supported here," said John Claybrook.
Two years after opening their doors, Texas Aggies Making Changes became what is now known as The 12th Can and obtained status as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. From humble beginnings, and still run entirely by students at Texas A&M – The 12th Can looks very different more than a decade later.
Now situated in a much larger space in the Mail Services building, the team can stock nearly 25,000 pounds of food at a time, offering a broader variety of high-quality, fresh food items.Intentionally designed to reduce stigma and create a welcoming environment, The 12th Can operates on a client choice model that allows students, faculty and staff to select their own food items just like a regular shopping experience.
The positive impact of The 12th Can reaches beyond those who utilize its services. Since the pantry’s first opening, the students who have dedicated themselves to serving others get a crash course in non-profit management and gain a hands-on understanding of one of Texas A&M’s core values: selfless service.
Student-Led Growth and Strategic Partnerships
From day-to-day tasks like placing orders and sorting donations to staffing pantry openings and executing all of the behind-the-scenes work that it takes to grow a non-profit organization, the student leaders running The 12th Can have led the charge to pursue strategic partnerships and implement process improvements.
Key projects have included introducing a software platform to streamline openings and guest services and forging relationships with other local non-profits such as the Brazos Valley Foodbank. Most recently, The 12th Can has established a corporate partnership with the well-loved Texas grocery chain H-E-B for an efficient food ordering and delivery process that has allowed the pantry to increase its openings.
The partnership with H-E-B emerged from necessity, as The 12th Can's expanded budget led to strained operations. At the time, the student-run pantry relied on large curbside orders from Walmart and H-E-B to stock their shelves, requiring at least 8-10 cars to shuttle food back to campus — a process that consumed hours and posed significant liability risks.
The 12th Can’s advisor, Dawn Tonkinson, remarks just how much these operational improvements have grown not only the pantry’s ability to serve others, but also the skills of the student leaders and volunteers who get to roll up their sleeves and be a part of something bigger than themselves.
"Being their advisor over the past three years has been a truly incredible experience. I've been able to work with multiple student leaders, including our newest student leaders, Gabriella Peterson and Ethan Walker, since they were freshmen, and it's been an honor to watch them grow into the executive director and associate director positions they are in today,” said Tonkinson.
“Over the past two years, they have expanded The 12th Can operations from having only a pantry and an office to now having a hygiene room, a backspace area and a warehouse space that holds all of their fridge and freezer units. With the most recent partnership with H-E-B, they've been able to streamline their delivery services and expand their operations this fall semester to add an additional opening day. With all the growth and development happening over the past couple of years, I'm excited to see what these student leaders come up with for the future."
The Heart Behind It All: A Q&A with two student leaders who have driven growth at The 12th Can
We sat down with Associate Director Ethan Walker and Executive Director Gabriella Peterson to discuss The 12th Can's growth and game-changing partnership with H-E-B. For Ethan and Gabriella, this mission is personal.
What inspired you to get involved with The 12th Can?
Ethan: I grew up going on mission trips to low-income communities. The summer after high school, I went to New Orleans and saw firsthand the effects of food insecurity and how much you can positively impact someone in that situation by simply providing a bag of food. When I got to Texas A&M, that was on my mind and I never wanted students to worry about where their next meal was coming from.
Gabriella: I volunteered at the San Antonio Food Bank throughout high school and loved it. When I got to Texas A&M, my mom was at an Aggies Moms Club meeting where The 12th Can was tabling, that's how I found out about it. I’ve always felt that helping people is my purpose in life, and aspire to do this as a doctor in the future – so once I connected with the 12th Can, I didn’t hesitate. I knew I wanted to keep serving others in college by continuing the volunteer work I loved doing back home.
Does anything surprise you about the need on campus?
Ethan: Definitely. You always think college students are well-off, but 20% of students nationwide struggle with food insecurity. That statistic doesn’t stop at College Station city limits, unfortunately.
Gabriella: When I first became a member, the number of clients surprised me. Even though it’s a percentage of the campus population, you don't realize just how many students are thinking about this. It motivated me to go out of my way to help other Aggies.
How much has The 12th Can grown since you’ve been part of it?
Ethan: When I started in 2022, we served about 130 clients per day, which is roughly 4,000 per year. Now, we're serving 360 clients per opening, reaching over 5,000 in the Aggie community annually. With every improvement to our operations and services, we hope to reach more who need help as well as bring in more items and a variety that our clients need and want to see.
How did the H-E-B partnership come about?
Gabriella: Before, we were doing curbside orders through Walmart and H-E-B with our increased budget of $8,500 but were struggling to keep up. We'd need 8-10 cars to pick everything up. The movement of food was a huge liability, ordering took hours and there were limitations and extra charges. We needed a more efficient solution. Through our partnership with the H-E-B on Texas Avenue in College Station, they connected us with corporate H-E-B. We shared our challenges, and they connected us to H-E-B Wholesale. Now we work on an invoice payment system, and they deliver right to our pantry. It’s streamlined so many of our operations!
What difference has this partnership made?
Gabriella: We can prioritize items we've been low on and stock up consistently. We're able to provide seasonings, flour, oil and sometimes higher-end items at every single opening now, things that elevate our clients' experience. For our 12-member executive team and pantry volunteers, it's taken so much stress and time off their plates.
Ethan: This spring semester, when we got our first H-E-B Wholesale delivery, four pallets stacked high, I could really see the difference. The shelves were completely full on opening day, and you could see the appreciation in clients' faces.
What have you learned through this experience?
Ethan: As a student, I'd never dealt with corporate entities before or established this type of partnership before. For my future career, learning how corporate partnerships work in the non-profit space has been invaluable.
Gabriella: I was very shy before coming to Texas A&M, and I wasn’t really sure how to find my place. This community really helped me grow, especially when I ran for an executive position. It opened doors and gave me confidence to help the organization grow even further.
Where do you see The 12th Can in two years?
Ethan: We're hoping to find an even bigger facility, or even have our own. Over the years, we've grown beyond every space we've had. Our resources to serve Aggies keep expanding, and we want to keep pace with the need.
What advice would you give students at other schools wanting to start similar programs?
Ethan: Figure out your initial population and spread the word from there. And to truly understand your clients — put yourself in their shoes.
To learn more about how you can get involved with The 12th Can at Texas A&M or access their services, visit their website.