We know some students may be experiencing food insecurity. If you’re worried about where you're going to get your next meal, CU has several resources right here on campus that are free and safe to access.
What is food insecurity?
Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to food for a person to live an active and healthy life. According to the Hope Center #RealCollege 2020 survey report, 39% of students at four-year institutions faced food insecurity in the prior 30 days.
Feed the Stampede is CU Boulder’s food assistance program. It works to ensure that students experiencing any level of food insecurity have the necessary knowledge, resources and access to enough food to meet their needs. It also provides services, referrals and education so they can thrive academically.
With the implementation of Feed the Stampede over the past year, CU Boulder has been designated a Hunger Free Campus by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. This means that CU Boulder has a proven commitment to supporting the health and well-being of students, and raising awareness and assistance for food insecurity.
Buff Pantry
A key component of Feed the Stampede is the Buff Pantry—an on-campus resource that supports CU Boulder students who are experiencing food insecurity. Students can visit the Buff Pantry one time per week to receive approximately 20-30 pounds of food and other necessities per visit at no cost, including shelf-stable products, fresh produce, refrigerated, frozen and personal care items.
Visiting Buff Pantry
- Fill out the Buff Pantry Client Intake form
- Sign up for an appointment to visit the Buff Pantry
- On the day selected, stop by during your appointment time or drop-in hours to pick up your items. Remember to bring your Buff OneCard and reusable bags.
Fall Buff Pantry Hours
- Mondays 1-6 p.m. by appointment
- Tuesdays 1-6 p.m. by appointment
- Wednesdays 1-6 p.m. for drop-ins
The Buff Pantry is located in the University Memorial Center (UMC) basement 1B73, near the lower level of the CU Book Store. Hours may change during breaks and holidays.
Mobile Food Pantry
The Mobile Food Pantry is free and open to CU Boulder students, faculty and staff, and to community members of Boulder and Broomfield Counties.
The Volunteer Resource Center will host a mobile food pantry on the UMC South Terrace Plaza on Thursday, Oct. 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. Be sure to bring your Buff OneCard and several reusable bags or a way to carry items easily. Food will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you are not feeling well or have any symptoms of illness, please stay home and send someone else to pick up food for you. For questions, please contact food@colorado.edu.
Community Resources
Feed the Stampede also provides resources through Swipe It Forward, food drives, SNAP and local community organizations for those that are experiencing food insecurity.
Check the Community Resources webpage for a list of services in Boulder County that are available to students. There’s even a Food Finder tool to help locate resources in Boulder and Broomfield counties.
To learn more, visit the Volunteer Resource Center website.
Hear from fellow Buffs
We asked students who use the Buff Pantry how it’s helping them be successful and here is what they had to say:
“It’s very helpful to have the Buff Pantry on campus because I’m already coming to university for my classes. I can get my groceries here and then I’m done.” – Shreyasi M.
“I think it will help me have easier access to food that is healthy for me. I wish other students would know it exists. It’s been a struggle to get high-quality food, just because the higher the quality of the food, the more expensive the product. But the pantry has all the high quality products I need.” – CU Boulder student
“I know some people won’t want to come because they are scared of what others might say, but I decided to be courageous and come myself. But I understand that it can be scary. I love that this is a resource of students helping students. It’s good.” – Funda K.
“Having the pantry on campus means that there is a place I can come to get the food that I need, which is not super common unfortunately.” – CU Boulder student
“The Buff Pantry provided me with the ability to save money. The process is very smooth, very intuitive and easy to sign up. Plus it’s free!” – Abhinanbini U.
“In the spring, all my breakfast was from the Buff Pantry. It really helped to have something for breakfast at home.” – Kedar R.