UM Pantry in Bloom

Welcome back, Grizzlies! We hope you had a fun & relaxing Spring Break. We’ve certainly been enjoying these longer, warmer days as we begin gearing up for a fun-filled summer.

Our “Spice Up Your Spring” spice drive brought in nearly 30 donations of spices & seasonings from March 14th–18th. These donations flew off our shelves as quickly as they came, proving that spices are always in high-demand at the UM Pantry!

Spices are too often considered a luxury for folks facing food insecurity, but we believe no one should have to sacrifice flavor for sustenance. We are always happy to accept donations of sealed spices & seasonings, as long as they are less than 2 years past expiration.

Earlier in March, the Pantry received over $1.9k in donations during UM’s annual 24-hour Big Give campaign. Thank you to everyone who showed up to support our work! Your contributions help us provide direct support and immediate relief for UM students & their families facing basic needs insecurity.

HAPPENING NOW- UM’s College of Health is sponsoring a March Madness donation drive for the Pantry, March 15th- April 1st. Drop-off locations include Partnership Health Center, Missoula College, and Skaggs School of Pharmacy. Check the flier below to learn about our most-need items.

In other news, we are thrilled to announce that we have recently partnered with Earth Breeze, Inc. Earth Breeze makes an eco-conscious, low waste laundry detergent that eliminates the need for heavy plastic jugs; this detergent is hypoallergenic, vegan friendly, cruelty free, grey water and septic safe, and compatible with all washing machines. Plus the packaging is 100% biodegradable!

For every Earth Breeze product that is purchased, Earth Breeze donates ten loads of laundry to a charitable organization like the UM Food Pantry to distribute to people in need (a portion of their profits also helps fund ocean clean ups and tree plantings).

Here at the UM Pantry, we value sustainability. On top of that, we believe that everyone should have access to laundry and clean clothes. We are proud to partner with Earth Breeze, and we’re excited to be able to provide more sustainable, environmentally friendly personal care products at no cost to UM students & families in need.

Are you in need of laundry detergent, or just curious to give Earth Breeze a try? Swing by the UM Pantry and see what we have in stock!

February was a record-breaking month for us in terms of visits & distribution, and March is proving to be just as busy! We are glad to be able to support the ever-growing need on our campus, and look forward to a day when everyone has what they need in order to thrive. If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity, please come see us Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10am-3pm & 5–7pm, or reach out to umpantry@mso.umt.edu.

We have lots of exciting news to share in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for more updates from the UM Food Pantry!