Many students at the University of Colorado (CU) are facing food insecurity and a lack of basic necessities, a situation that has become more challenging due to reductions in SNAP benefits and increased needs during the holiday season. The university reports that these hardships are common among students across its four campuses.
To address this issue, CU donors and university leaders have launched efforts to support campus food pantries and other essential-needs programs. This includes financial matches from the CU system, individual campuses, and the CU Foundation.
Beginning in November, fundraising campaigns such as “Food Fight” at UCCS and CU Denver have encouraged donations to stock campus food pantries. Donors to CU Boulder and CU Anschutz are supporting similar assistance programs on those campuses.
The university’s leadership is providing matching contributions up to $400,000 through the end of the year. This effort features a match of up to $100,000 from CU President Todd Saliman—split equally among all campuses—and another $100,000 from the CU Foundation. Chancellors Justin Schwartz (CU Boulder), Jennifer Sobanet (CU Denver), Kenneth Christensen (UCCS), and Don Elliman (CU Anschutz) have also contributed or pledged matching funds up to $50,000 each for their respective campuses.
As of mid-November, donors participating in Food Fight had contributed over $60,000. These funds help maintain Clyde’s Cupboard at UCCS and the CU Denver food pantry, ensuring students receive nutritious meals and necessary resources.
At CU Boulder, donor support aids the Basic Needs Center with food and housing assistance. The Student Support Fund at CU Anschutz helps supply its food pantry and offers emergency aid for students experiencing unexpected difficulties.
National data highlights that about one-quarter of undergraduate students do not consistently have access to sufficient food, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Research from the National Institutes of Health indicates that students who experience food insecurity are more likely to leave school before graduating and tend to have lower GPAs than their peers with stable access to meals.
For more information on how to contribute or details about each campus’s needs:
– CU Boulder Buff Pantry
– UCCS Clyde’s Cupboard
– CU Denver Milo’s Market
– CU Anschutz Food Pantry
Donations can be made online to support emergency funds for students in need across all University of Colorado campuses.
