Take a Look Inside CU Boulder’s Buff Pantry!
There are a number of hardships that are emblematic of college students, one of which is the struggle for food. Groceries–despite being a necessity–can be an expensive thing to buy, hence the running the running joke that college students’ diets consist of simple sustenance: coffee, Instant Ramen noodles, and frozen pizzas. Yet, in all seriousness, the incompatibility between food costs and students’ financial budgets is a rising concern; according to the Hope Center #RealCollege 2020 survey report, roughly 39% of students at four-year institutions faced food insecurity in the prior 30 days. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of consistent access to food for a person to live an active and healthy life. This is a serious dilemma, but CU Boulder has made a strong mitigation effort with one thing: the Feed the Stampede program.
What is “Feed the Stampede?”
CU Boulder’s Feed the Stampede is a food assistance program. First and foremost, it works to ensure that students experiencing food insecurity (either slight or severe) have the necessary knowledge, resources and access to enough food to meet their needs. Aside from that, it also provides services, referrals and education so they can thrive academically. According to their website, their mission statement says as much: “in order to alleviate the barriers of food insecurity, our group is dedicated to providing services, referrals, and education so that CU Boulder students can thrive academically.”
Furthermore, for those of you who are skeptical to receive food support from Feed the Stampede, I would like to assure you that it is a trustworthy program. It has an admiral moral compass based on its vision, values, and goals, all of which you can find here. The program had an intimate beginning back in 2016, when CU staff members and students started hearing personal stories of CU Boulder students who were unable to purchase food, due to a number of various financial and life circumstances. They are here to support students like you and I in the face of rising food insecurity!
Is “Buff Pantry” related somehow?
Yes! The Buff Pantry is actually a campus entity operating underneath Feed the Stampede. It is the on-campus food pantry at the University of Colorado Boulder and its sole purpose is to support CU Boulder students who are experiencing food insecurity.
Students are welcome to visit the Buff Pantry one time per week and will receive approximately 20 pounds of food per visit. The Buff Pantry provides a variety of goods, including shelf-stable products, fresh produce, refrigerated, frozen, and personal care items. Food and personal care item selection will vary based on availability, donations and time of year. Remember: this is at no cost to students!
The Buff Pantry is located in the UMC basement 1B73, near the lower level of the CU Book Store. Their hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 1-6 PM via appointment and drop-in. Note that there are several procedures that students must follow before being eligible for the Buff Pantry’s support, but you can find them all here.
In other news…
We all know that there are a plethora of joinable clubs at CU Boulder, but have you heard of the CU Bridge Club? It is organized and hosted by Dr. Steven Dike and is a great opportunity for 1) learning how to play Bridge or 2) bettering your skills at the card game. The CU Bridge Club meets from 5-7 PM on Fridays in Eaton Humanities 190. Come check it out and play with some fun CU students; players of all levels, including beginners, are welcome!
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