Food insecurity has increasingly become an issue on college and university campuses across the country, with community college students being among those hit worst. This can negatively affect a student’s energy and ability to concentrate, which, in turn, may negatively affect their GPA. In fact, obtaining food is often one of the most significant financial stresses a college student may bear. And while community resources might be available, it can be challenging to access them due to transportation or scheduling.
That’s where the CT State food pantries come in. We provide convenient, judgment-free locations on each campus where students, faculty and staff may come and "shop" for free. In addition to non-perishable food, many of our pantries offer fresh fruits and vegetables, refrigerated and frozen items, toiletries, menstrual products and more.
Find your campus to learn more:
- Asnuntuck
- Capital
- Gateway
- Housatonic
- Manchester
- Middlesex
- Naugatuck Valley
- Northwestern
- Norwalk
- Quinebaug Valley
- Three Rivers
- Tunxis
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CT State Asnuntuck Pantry & Wellness Center
The CT State Asnuntuck Pantry & Wellness Center is a client-choice pantry that offers traditional canned and boxed goods, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, and frozen meat.
CT State Asnuntuck Pantry & Wellness Center Membership Form Spring 2024: Digital membership form
Location
Main Building 157E
Contact
This Pantry Is:
- Walk-In
Hours
- Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
If you need accommodations outside of these times, email and we will work with you.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Refrigerated Food Items
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Meat/Seafood
- Fresh Vegetables/Fruits
- Dairy Products
- Frozen Food Items
- Personal Care Items
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Capital Cares Food Pantry
The Capital Cares Pantry is an easily accessible place for students to get food assistance in a private, safe and friendly environment.
Location
Room 706
NOTE: When visiting the food pantry, please have a valid CT State school ID or your student schedule for the current semester (electronic/cellphone versions are permitted).
Contact
This Pantry Is:
- By Appointment
To make an appointment, please email us or call 860-906–5320.
Hours
- Mondays and Wednesdays: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays: 1-6 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Refrigerated Food Items
- Fresh Produce*
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Meat/Seafood
- Dairy Products
- Frozen Food Items
- Personal Care Items
- Clothing
*when available through Foodshare
- By Appointment
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Campus Cupboard
The Campus Cupboard on the CT State Gateway campus provides food, personal care and baby items to students on the Gateway campus.
Location
N209
Contact
This Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
- By Appointment*
To make an appointment, please email us.
Hours
- Hours Vary
Please email us for current hours.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-stable food items
- Refrigerated food items
- Quick "grab-and-go" snack foods
- Meat/seafood
- Fresh vegetables/fruits
- Dairy products
- Frozen food items
- Personal care items
- Diapers
- Formula
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Housatonic Food Pantry
Enrolled students may visit the Housatonic Food Pantry two times per month and self-select 10 nonperishable items and four fresh produce items at each visit. Fresh produce is delivered weekly and is available after 12 p.m. on Mondays and while supplies last throughout the week. No pre-signup is necessary, but a student ID is required. The program is based on the honesty system and no proof of need is required.
The Housatonic Food Pantry is made possible through the efforts of the Housatonic Foundation, CT FoodShare, Stop and Shop and funding from the Supplemental Support under the American Rescue Plan (SSARP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Location
Lafayatte Hall L207
Contact
This Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
Hours
- Monday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Tuesday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Thursday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Friday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Fresh Vegetables/Fruits
- Personal Care Items
The Storehouse Project Mobile Food Pantry
Prebagged food distribution open to all students, faculty & staff.
Location
Drop off/pick up area on Lafayette Blvd next to parking garage.
Spring 2024 Dates and Times:
- Thursday, February 1
- Thursday, March 7
- Thursday, April 4
- Thursday, May 2
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Cougar Pantry
The Cougar Pantry and Career Clothing Closet is open to all students, faculty and staff. The Cougar Pantry can provides food, clothing, emergency bus passes (10-ride, once per semester) and other off-campus resources for members of the CT State Manchester community in need.
Location
SSC L-149
Contact
Laura Bruno
Email:
Phone: 812-512-3287Trent Barber
Email:
Phone: 860-512-3203This Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
Hours
- Monday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Note: In addition to the hours above, students have access to our pantry anytime the building is open through the campus security office.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-stable food items
- Refrigerated food items
- Quick "grab-and-go" snack foods
- Meat/seafood
- Fresh vegetables/fruits
- Dairy products
- Frozen food items
- Personal care items
- Clothing
-
Magic Food Bus
The Magic Food Bus is a mobile food pantry serving the students and staff at CT State Middlesex.Please bring a vaild I.D. when visiting the pantry.
Locations
Middletown Campus: Founders Hall 2B (upstairs from Student Lounge) Meriden Campus (Platt High School: Outside Second Floor LibraryContact
Connecticut Foodshare Mobile Pantry on Campus
Middlesex hosts the Connecticut Foodshare Mobile Pantry from 1–1:45 p.m. every other Monday. The format is a farmer’s market with tables and chairs and lots of food in the upper parking lot. Anyone from our college may take advantage of this food opportunity.
Please note: The CT Foodshare Mobile Pantry will only be on campus for 45 minutes at a time.This Pantry Is:
- Walk-In
Hours
Middletown
- Mondays*: 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Thursdays: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Fridays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
*Closed every other Monday from 12:45–1:45 p.m. for the CT Foodshare mobile food pantry, located in the lower parking lot.
Note: Emergency food bags can be found in the CICC (mailroom closet) when the pantry is closed.
Meriden
- Monday–Thursday: 2:30–7:30 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-stable food items*
- Refrigerated food items*
- Quick "grab-and-go" snack foods*
- Meat/seafood
- Fresh vegetables/fruits
- Dairy products
- Frozen food items
- Personal care items*
*Items carried at Meriden campus pantry.
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Naugatuck Valley Student Food Pantry
The Naugatuck Valley Student Food Pantry serves students struggling with food insecurity on both the Naugatuck Valley Waterbury and Danbury campuses with appointment-based shopping and an on-campus “grab-and-go” selection. The pantry is funded by the Naugatuck Valley Foundation.
To utilize the Naugatuck Valley Food Pantry, students place online grocery orders.
Waterbury campus students may place online orders for pick up on campus every two weeks. A pantry assistant will call to make an appointment for pick up.
Danbury campus students receive grocery orders through Amazon. Orders are placed online every two weeks and are delivered to the student's home.
Additionally, both locations offer “Grab and Go” items that students may stop in once a day when on campus.
Contact
or 203-596-8717
This Pantry Is:
- By appointment
- Grab-and-go (not staffed)
Grab and Go Hours
Waterbury Campus, Room E308
- Monday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Tuesday: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Thursday: 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Danbury Campus, Room D312
- Monday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Wednesday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Thursday: 1:30-6:30 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Refrigerated Food Items
- Meat/Seafood
- Fresh Vegetables/Fruits
- Dairy Products
- Frozen Food Items
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Personal Care Items
- COVID Tests
- Baby Diapers
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Food For Thought Student Food Pantry
Location
Founder’s Annex (FX) rooms 317 (pantry) and 319 (office)
Spring 2024 Appointments Times
Monday: 9-10 a.m. and 3–5:30 p.m.
Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1–4:30 p.m.Contact
Do you need to visit the pantry more than once a week?
Please contact Professor Wiggins at or Professor Bryda at for assistance.
This Pantry Is:
- By Appointment
Request an AppointmentImportant Info:
- If this is your first appointment this semester, you will be required to fill out some personal information. All information will be kept confidential. Due to our relationship with the CT Food Bank, we are required to collect this information once a semester.
- You will be asked to choose an appointment day and time. We do not take same-day appointments and we do not honor appointments made after 3 p.m. the day before a requested appointment.
- You will pick up your supplies at Food for Thought in the Founders Hall Annex in Room #319. Along with supplies, you will also receive a $20 Stop and Shop gift card.
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Food Pantry East/Food Pantry West
The Food Pantry at CT State Community College Norwalk is a free resource available to all enrolled students.
Location
East Second Floor/West: W101A
Contact
Courtney Anstett: , 203-857-3369
This Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
- By appointment*
*Appointments are mostly for Food Pantry West (West Campus) which houses grab-and-go items and clothing items
Hours
East
- Mondays-Thursdays: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Fridays: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
West
- Mondays–Fridays: Hours vary but fall between 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Refrigerated Food Items
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Meat/Seafood
- Fresh Vegetables/Fruits
- Dairy Products
- Frozen Food Items
- Personal Care Items
- Clothing
-
QV Grab & Go Pantry
The Qrab & Go Pantry is a self-serve pantry with locations on both the Quinebaug Valley Willimantic and Danielson campuses. Pantries are open-access; students may visit at any time the campuses are open.Locations
- Danielson Main Atrium
- Willimantic Kitchenette Area
Contact
Dr. Tanaya Walters,This Pantry Is:
- Grab-and-go (not staffed)
This Pantry Carries:
- Quick "grab-and-go" snack foods
- Fresh vegetables/fruits
- Personal care items
-
Full Plate Food Pantry
The Full Plate Food Pantry on the Three Rivers campus provides food assistance in a private, safe and friendly environment. You may visit the pantry twice a week and take up to 10 items each visit. Hygiene items are also available and do not count toward your item limit. You must be a currently registered student and have your student ID number to utilize the food pantry. The pantry also has a snack table where you can stop in between classes and grab a snack and beverage. Besides food items, the pantry offers some home supplies and personal items, such as laundry detergent and diapers.
The Full Plate Food Pantry is supported, in part, by United Way of Southeastern CT.
Location
Room E100
Contact
This Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
Hours
- Monday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Tuesday: 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Wednesday: 12-6 p.m.
- Thursday: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-Stable Food Items
- Refrigerated Food Items
- Quick “Grab-And-Go” Snack Foods
- Meat/Seafood
- Fresh Vegetables/Fruits
- Dairy Products
- Frozen Food Items
- Personal Care Items
- Clothing
-
The Pantry@Tunxis
The Pantry@Tunxis serves students on the Tunxis campus. Students in need are welcome to visit as many times as they choose throughout the month, however, the total number of items taken can’t exceed the 20-item limit for the month. Students are encouraged to bring their own grocery bag or to reuse the bag they are given upon their first visit to the pantry. Students must present their Student ID or other proof that they are a current, registered Tunxis student in order to receive food.
Location
Room 1-161
(200 building, then up the ramp on your right)
Contact
Fill out a Virtual Shopping FormThis Pantry Is:
- Walk-in
- Pick-Up*
Hours
- Monday: 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Thursday: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
*Due to our limited open hours, the Pantry@Tunxis also operates virtually, allowing students to submit a Virtual Shopping Form any day/time. Once the request is processed, you will be notified that your request is ready for pickup.
This Pantry Carries:
- Shelf-stable food items
- Quick "grab-and-go" snack foods
- Personal care items
Additional Resources
How to Build a Healthy Meal
Government Food Programs
Volunteer
Many of our campus food pantries depend on volunteers to operate.
If you're interested in volunteering to help shoppers, stock shelves or raise money/collect donations, please see the campus listings above to find your local pantry's contact information.
Donate
All campus pantries accept food and monetary donations. Though each individual pantry’s needs may vary depending on location, time of year and the needs of the campus's unique student population, this is a general list of popular items that are always welcome donations to our campus food pantries:
- Baking Mixes and Needs (flour, sugar, baking powder, etc.)
- Bottled Water
- Canned Goods (fruits, meats, soups, stews, vegetables, Chef Boyardee, etc.)
- Cereal (large and individually sized boxes)
- Cereal Bars
- Chips
- Coffee/Tea/Non-Dairy Creamer
- Condiments (ketchup, mustard, dressings, etc.)
- Conditioner
- Cookies
- Deodorant
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Fruit Cups
- Fruit Snacks
- Granola Bars
- Grocery Store Gift Cards
- Hamburger Helper
- Jelly
- Juice Boxes and Pouches
- Laundry Detergent
- Mashed Potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Pasta
- Pasta Sauce (tomato, alfredo, etc.)
- Peanut Butter
- Pop Tarts
- Protein Bars
- Rice
- Salsa
- Shampoo
- Soap
- Spices
- Stuffing
- Sugar
- Toilet Paper
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Tuna