Our Crowdfunding Groups
The UMD Campus Pantry has seen an increase in requests since the pandemic began.
The Campus Pantry has seen an unprecedented number of visits since the pandemic began. Below is a chart of how distributions have increased during these difficult times:
In addition, the UMD Campus Pantry partnered with Prince Georges County (where campus is located) to pack and distribute grocery and produce bags to people in the county who have tested positive for COVID-19 and were unable to leave their homes and shop for groceries.
_________________________________________________________________________
Our Mission
The UMD Campus Pantry mission is to alleviate food insecurity among the University of Maryland College Park campus community by providing emergency food to students, faculty, and staff in need.
Our Vision
Our vision is a University of Maryland community where every student, faculty and staff member has reliable access to an adequate supply of affordable, safe and nutritious food.
Our Story
The UMD Campus Pantry opened in 2014 in response to a growing awareness of the number of students, staff, and faculty experiencing food insecurity on our campus. Since then, the dedicated staff and student interns at the pantry have worked to alleviate the stress of food insecurity by providing emergency food, promoting sustainable food practices, and sharing local resources and raising awareness. Located in the ground floor of the South Campus Dining Hall, the Campus Pantry provides a safe, anonymous and dignified experience for its patrons, providing short term relief and direction toward long term solutions for themselves and in some cases, their families.
Food Insecurity on Campus
Food insecurity – the lack of reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, safe, nutritious food
In 2015, researchers from the School of Public Health conducted a food insecurity survey across campus, prompting a larger and on-going study that the Pantry is involved with today. Led by the University of Maryland 
Counseling Center Research Unit in partnership with the University of Maryland Department of Dining Services, University Health Center, and Maryland Parent and Family Association, the Food Access and Student Well-Being Study has surveyed over 4,901 undergraduate and graduate students since the summer of 2017. Of the students surveyed, 20% reported being food insecure, and the study found that those who reported this were more likely to report issues in other areas of wellness, whether physically, emotionally, or academically. College Park’s location and economy makes Terps especially susceptible to food insecurity, but they no longer have to endure in silence.
How You Can Help
Be Aware, Volunteer, and Donate!
Food insecurity is a serious, underreported and generally invisible condition in higher education communities. People are unwilling to admit they cannot take care of themselves and their children.
Funds raised from this campaign will go towards the UMD Campus Pantry operating and capital improvements funds. The operations fund supplements food donations by allowing the Campus Pantry to purchase quality, nutritious food. The capital improvements allows the Campus Pantry to fund much needed equipment – like refrigeration necessary to provide a wider range of food to people in need.
For more information on the Pantry, how to donate food and volunteer, visit:
Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax advisor for details.