Cal Poly’s food pantry is currently experiencing a 25% increase in visits compared to last fall, according to Taffy Gonzalez, the food pantry coordinator.
The food pantry has come to have a large inventory that includes a variety of packaged and canned foods, fresh produce and personal hygiene items such as diapers and menstrual products.
Open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m to 5 p.m, there’s been over 80,000 students visiting the food pantry annually according to Martiza Perez, basic needs coordinator. Perez also stated that according to Cal Poly’s American College Health Association survey, conducted in Spring of 2024, 39.5% of Cal Poly students face food insecurity.
Dozens of students rely on the food pantry for fresh groceries and pantry staples, but for many, knowing when the best time to go can make all the difference.
As first years get settled in on campus, they’ve begun to visit the food pantry and utilize the resource. First years Hannah Reese and Emily McGee, both spoke on how they found out about the food pantry through friends and during Week of Welcome Information Sessions.
According to Gonzalez, the food pantry receives daily deliveries from their partners such as Food 4 Less, the Cal Poly Crops Unit, Grocery Outlet, Smart & Final and the SLO County Food Bank. Their delivery schedule, however, is fluid and largely dependent on their partners. There is a tentative schedule that students can utilize and plan their food pantry visits around.
This is an overview of what to expect of restocks throughout the week:
- Monday: Grocery Outlet at 9:30 a.m
- Tuesday: Food 4 Less at 9:30 a.m and Smart & Final at 11:30 a.m
- Wednesday: SLO Food Bank at 11 a.m
- Thursday: Sprouts Food Rescue at 9:30 a.m and Cal Poly Crops at 10:30 a.m
- Friday: Food 4 Less at 9:30 a.m and Grocery Outlet at 9:30 a.m
To prepare for the increase in food pantry visits, Perez speaks about what steps the food pantry is making. They are working to continue to provide food assistance through the food pantry and Meal Voucher programs while also stretching overall capacity through continued partnership with local grocery stores and the SLO Food Bank.
The food pantry team will also continue to collaborate with the CalFresh Outreach team to increase program awareness and promote student enrollment. They are also striving to advance initiatives that improve food accessibility across campus.
The food pantry has become a staple here on Cal Poly’s campus, and students continue to appreciate the pantry and want other students to utilize it.
“I come to the food pantry when I have long days on campus to potentially get a snack,” Oliver Smith, a biology senior said. “But, overall, I recommend the food pantry to people looking for options, because sometimes there’s some good things there.”