Published:
By Savanna Yelling
The Office of the President will be inviting Central Connecticut State University faculty and staff to “Stuff the Pantry” by donating non-perishable goods to Maria’s Place throughout the month of November.
Each building on campus has been assigned a specific item to collect for donations to Maria’s Pantry. Residence halls and academic halls alike will be assigned various items from groceries such as oatmeal, cookies, spices and condiments to toiletries, feminine products, and laundry supplies.
The need to fill the pantry is urgent.
At a recent press conference, President Toro noted, “In our most recent annual Food and Housing Insecurity Survey, approximately half of the survey respondents reported that they worry about whether their food will last before they have the funds to purchase more. As of last week, the number of visits to Maria’s Place in 2023 has surpassed the total number of visits to the pantry in 2022.”
With 16 buildings participating, Amily Marie Colon, the director of Maria’s Place, said the pantry will be taking in a wide variety of donations that will be readily available to students after the event.
“After the event is over, we’ll have some of our student workers and volunteers go around and collect all the items and stuff the pantry,” Colon said.
If students are interested in using the pantry, all they need to do is stop by the pantry, which is located on the bottom level of the Robert Vance Academic Center.
“Our fall hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday,” Colon said. “All students have to do is literally show up at the pantry. We have an iPad that students can use to sign in with their student ID number.”
Student ID numbers are only used to keep track of the pantry’s demand. To ensure privacy, students are not required to provide their names. Upon sign-up, students are given a reusable shopping bag that they can fill once a week.
Colon said demand for the pantry has increased dramatically in recent months.
"I’ve seen in real time the increase in demand,” Colon said. "The increase was so rapid that the way we were running the pantry at the time couldn’t keep up with it.”
While there is no target goal for the Stuff the Pantry initiative, pantry staff want to make sure Maria’s Place is fully stocked for the holiday season.
“We’re just hoping for the best,” Colon said.
For more information about Stuff the Pantry, click here.