Ithaca College's Efforts to Address Food Insecurity

Prunty's Pantry - Ithaca College's On-Campus Food Pantry

Prunty's Pantry, an on-campus food pantry located on the first floor of the Campus Center (Egbert Hall), supports our Ithaca College community by offering food and drink products, personal care products, and household items free of charge. The pantry is open to all students, staff, and faculty. Shoppers are able to take up to one bag of items per visit. The pantry is managed by the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Life with generous support by student employees and volunteers.

Hours of Operation for the Fall 2024 Semester:

Mondays: Closed for Cleaning and Restocking

Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:15 - 2:00 PM

Wednesdays and Fridays: 4:00 - 6:00 PM

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Getting to Prunty's Pantry

The most direct way to access Prunty's Pantry is through the stairwell located next to the Campus Center Information Desk, located in the lobby on the second floor of the building. Enter the stairwell and travel down one flight of stairs to find the pantry.

There is also an accessible entrance to Prunty's Pantry through the exterior of the building. This entrance is located on the bottom level of south end of the building (side facing the Upper Quads), adjacent to the set of stairs leading to the Campus Center Quad.

How Can You Support Prunty's Pantry

Donations of non-perishable items and toiletries will gladly be accepted by Prunty's Pantry! Please bring your clean, unopened, unexpired non-perishable items and toiletries to the Information Desk, located in the Campus Center Lobby on the main level of the building (Egbert Hall). Some items that are always needed in the pantry are:
 

  • Peanut butter/other nut butters
  • Jelly
  • Tuna
  • Pop-top canned goods
  • Granola bars
  • Trail mix/nuts
  • Microwavable meals (Mac & cheese cups, Cup O' Soups, etc.)
  • Ramen noodles
  • Pasta/sauce
  • Cereal
  • Shelf stable milk
  • Cookies/crackers
  • Gluten free/vegan foods
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Shampoo/conditioner
  • Deodorant
  • Toothbrushes/toothpaste
  • Laundry pods
  • Reusable bags!
     

Ongoing support for the food pantry is always needed and appreciated. If you are interested in making a gift to support Ithaca College in addressing food insecurity you can do so here. Under “Select an area to support”, please select "other" and then specify “IC Fund to Address Food Insecurity.”

All gifts will be used to purchase food, personal care items, and other supplies needed by our campus community.

We are always in search of volunteers to assist in checking our shoppers into the pantry when they visit. If you are interested in volunteering you can sign up here!

Swipe Out Hunger

This student-initiated program allows students on the meal plan to donate one of their allotted guest passes to fellow students facing food insecurity.  This program began in the Fall of 2018 at the initiative of Unagh Frank ’20, a Hillel at IC engagement intern who researched food insecurity for a course during her sophomore year.  Joined by a team of students and with the help of Hillel at IC executive director Lauren Goldberg, Frank worked with Ithaca College Dining Services, Student Financial Services and the ID Office to set up the Swipe Out Hunger program.

The Swipe Out Hunger Program is in effect for the 2023-24 academic year.  To combat food insecurity on our campus students with unlimited meal plans can offer up 2 of their guest meal passes this semester by simply filling out this form. 

Students who would like to secure meal swipes can simply contact Student Financial Services at sfs@ithaca.edu to receive packages of 15 meal swipes put onto your card.  Students can use this resource at any dining hall locations (cafes and retail options are not included), and "reload" more than once- as needed!  You do NOT need to be on a meal plan to receive meal swipes.  

We believe that healthy, accessible food is a basic human right, and that ensuring that everyone in our IC family are afforded that right is at the foundation of who we are as a campus community.  Across the country, 1 in 5 students regularly skip meals, having to prioritize other costs associated with college. This time, more than ever, we NEED you to share your swipes!    For more information about the program on our campus check out our FAQs. For more about Swipe Out Hunger as a national organization read here.

Other Sources of Support

Student Financial Services Emergency Loan

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Students may also qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  To qualify you must apply in the state you currently reside.  To see if you might be eligible for SNAP, New York State provides a pre-screening tool.

Catholic Charities will also assist students in signing up for SNAP.  You can contact Catholic Charities via phone at 607-272-5062.  If you get their voice mail, press 1 for the Ithaca Office and leave a message indicating that you would like assistance in applying for SNAP benefits.

Tompkins County Resources

Other resources available in Tomkins County include:

GreenStar's FLOWER (Fresh Local Organic Within Everyone's Reach)

Mutual Aid Food Sharing Cabinet:
A little blue Mutual Aid Food Sharing Cabinet is in the South Hill neighborhood!  Located at South Hill Elementary School, this cabinet functions as a small food pantry that is available for all community members to take or leave food and other essential items 24/7. This cabinet will be both checked on and filled with items from community members - please feel welcome to take or leave food and other essential items. There is also a Mutual Aid Food Sharing Cabinet on campus near Muller Chapel.

Mutual Aid Cabinet

A blue Mutual Aid Food Sharing Cabinet is now at IC! Located outside Muller Chapel, this cabinet is a small food pantry open to all IC community members to take or donate non-perishable food items and personal care products. All are welcome to utilize the cabinet or leave items 24/7.

What can you do to help?

Please consider bringing a non-perishable food or personal care item with you the next time you’re on-campus.

Got reusable bags? Please donate!

All donations can be dropped of at the Information Desk in Campus Center!

Please also spread the word about this food resource. All are welcome! Any questions? Please contact Student Affairs and Campus Life at studentaffairs@ithaca.edu.

Student Research on Food Insecurity

As students conduct research on food insecurity we will post links and information here.

Whalen Research on Impact of Food Resources on Student Persistence