UWM Food Center and Pantry Donations

This month is Fill the Shelves February and the UWM Food Center and Pantry is stocked entirely by donations, so there are a few ways you can help fill those shelves!

In 2016, our Student Association conducted a study that found nearly half of our students reported they had food insecurity within a six-month period. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of reliable access to affordable and nutritious food. So, in January 2017 the UWM Food Center and Pantry opened to address this need.

Host a Food Drive

First, you can host a food drive that collects nonperishable items. However, there should be a focus on which items you want to collect for donation, as that is what will make the food drive a success.

When deciding on which items to target, try and collect items that are in high demand. Also, think about what would help out a college student the most: is it nutritious and something you would eat?

Here is a chart that might be helpful for your food drive!

Donate Money

Donating money? Yes, money! The UWM Food Center and Pantry partners with Feeding America which offers us free food or gives us a huge discounted rate.

To put into perspective how much a monetary donation can be of benefit to the pantry, let’s take 25 cents and spend it at Feed America. With only 25 cents, we can get an entire pound of canned vegetables. So, as you can see a monetary donation can stretch pretty far!

You can make a one-time donation, set up an automatic deduction or fundraise. Unfortunately, you can’t hand in cash, so plan ahead and write a check.

As you can see, there are many ways you can help stock the shelf this month! Please consider helping us out to ensure that our students have food security. If you are experiencing food insecurity yourself, make sure you utilize this campus resource!

Click here for more information on how to donate or access the UWM Food Center and Pantry.