The Cal Poly Food Pantry needs your help. The goal is to raise $25,000 to keep the Food Pantry fully stocked with food for students on campus. Monetary donations are the most effective way to support the pantry, as they allow staff to purchase food — often below cost — from subsidized sources such as the SLO Food Bank.

The Cal Poly Food Pantry ensures that all students have access to nutritious meals every day so they can stay focused on their success. It provides a wide variety of packaged and canned foods, frozen meals, fresh produce, groceries and personal hygiene products — with no eligibility criteria. On-campus meal vouchers are also available for students in immediate need. Those seeking urgent assistance can also be connected to additional food resources such as CalFresh.

Students are especially grateful to have a free and accessible resource like the Food Pantry on campus. 

A fourth-year biomedical engineering student who has utilized the pantry said “Instead of worrying about what to eat, I was able to focus on my classes because of the Food Pantry’s support. It helped me during times I needed access to fresh food and produce, without any judgment for needing it. The pantry allowed me to devote more of my time and effort to being a student during an otherwise challenging time.”

During this fundraiser, an anonymous donor has agreed to quadruple every gift to the Food Pantry with a matching gift to the new Cal Poly Food Pantry Endowment. For every $25 you give to fight hunger on campus, the donor will give $100 to invest in the future of the pantry — ensuring this essential resource will always be there for students in need. The Food Pantry Endowment will generate sustainable funding year after year. The principal of the fund is invested, and a portion of the earnings will be distributed annually to support the pantry.

“Rising living expenses have made it increasingly difficult for students to afford nutritious groceries, and the lack of an easily accessible, full-service grocery store near campus adds an additional barrier,” said Maritza Perez, basic needs coordinator for Cal Poly Campus Health & Wellbeing. “The Food Pantry provides an accessible, reliable option for students to get the nutritious food they need.”

Thirty-nine percent of Cal Poly students experience food insecurity during their college careers. There were more than 80,000 student visits to the Food Pantry in 2024-25 — a 37% increase compared to 2023-24. Since the start of the current school year, nearly 19,000 students have already been served, a 25% increase compared to fall 2024. Shelves are often empty by noon due to high demand.

Make a gift to the Cal Poly Food Pantry today and make an immediate difference in the lives of students. Your contribution is not just a donation — it’s an investment in Cal Poly’s future. Together, we can ensure that no Mustang goes hungry — today and for years to come.

Support the Cal Poly Food Pantry