About the University of Rochester Food Pantry
The Food Pantry is dedicated to challenging the rising issue of student food insecurity on campus by supporting and serving all students and postdocs at the University of Rochester. Individuals can browse and choose non-perishable items during the Pantry’s operation hours in Wilson Commons or pre-order a bag for pick up.
This Giving Tuesday, your support will help keep shelves stocked and ensure every student facing food insecurity has access to nutritious, reliable food. Your generosity fuels well-being, reduces stress, and helps students stay focused on their education—when they need it most.
Together, we can create a campus where every student has what they need to succeed.
The Need
The Food Pantry has already received 1,530 visits in the first two months of the semester and distributed 9,523 items to 437 distinct students. This is almost half of the total visits for last year, despite only being two months into the academic year. At the current rate of usage, we are projected to surpass over 6,000 visits this year. This projection is more than double last year’s usage and more than triple the usage of 23-24.
Student feedback underscores the urgency:
- 56% said hunger affected their academic performance
- 87% reported they couldn’t afford balanced meals
- 83% worried food would run out
- 63% said hunger impacted their social life
- 87% said the pantry helped them meet other essential financial needs
Student Impact
Students describe the Food Pantry not simply as a resource, but as a lifeline:
“It has made me feel more secure in knowing that even if I can't afford to get things on campus or at a grocery store due to a lack of funds, I will not go hungry. I can always stop by the food pantry to supplement my bad weeks.”
“The Food Pantry made me feel more safe at the end of the semester. I often feel shrouded by stress and shame over where I'll get my next meal at the end of each semester; stress over food was greater than my stress over finals. Having access to the Food Pantry lessens my stress a lot and allows me to focus on my studies when it matters most.”