Campus Food Pantries

Since 2018 the Center for Agroecology has increased production for Basic Needs totaling over $60,000 in donations from the farms and gardens to student food security support on campus. Based on increased Basic Needs funding covering the means of production at the field site we have commensurately increased our donations to campus. Going forward we will further align our production and student experience dimension to serve food security projects across UCSC. These project and site priorities for the Center for Agroecology include:

Produce Pop-Up Stands ­

The Produce Pop-Up stand runs from October to June, where UCSC students run Produce Pop-Up twice weekly at various locations on campus where cash, check, and EBT is accepted. Pop-Up acquires organic produce from the UCSC Farm and other local organic farms which are then packed into curated boxes that are distributed to students free of cost.

Follow UCSC Produce Pop-Up on Instagram at @ucscproducepopup and the Center for Agroecology Events Website for more info and an up-to-date schedule. For information, email ucscproducepopup@gmail.com or see the Center for Agroecology.ucsc.edu.

Three of our Produce Pop-Up Coordinators at the Pop-Up stand at Family Student Housing.

The Cowell Coffee Shop “For the Peoples”

Cowell Coffee Shop For the Peoples is a student-run cafe designed to increase student food access and serve as a non-transactional community hub woven into our campus food systems and broader Basic Needs efforts. The site provides a venue for trainings, workshops, distributions, and building a connected culture of student engagement and support.

“Slugs in the Kitchen” Cooking Workshops

Slugs in the Kitchen is a peer-to-peer workshop program hosted in the Cowell Coffee Shop, intended to foster a sense of community and learning around kitchen spaces and students’ role in the broader food system. Instruction is designed to inspire confidence, fun, and creativity in the kitchen by empowering students to cook healthy, dynamic meals for themselves. Courses highlight local and seasonal ingredients available from campus farm spaces and through Basic Needs pantry programs. Slugs in the Kitchen curriculum strives to honor and uplift the wide range of culinary diasporas that UCSC students come from and establish meaningful connections between students and the world around them through the food that they eat. Follow @slugsinthekitchen_ucsc on Instagram to learn more!

Pop-Up Pantries

In partnership with the Slug Support Pantry

West Side Pantry Pop-Ups/CalFresh Enrollment events collaborating with Oakes College and Second Harvest Food Bank 

Grad Student Commons Pantry Pop-Up distributions

Slug Support Pantry

We are a choice based, no limits pantry, meaning there are absolutely no limits on what you take or how many times you access the pantry in a week. Features fresh produce from the UCSC Farm, ready-to-eat meals, non-perishables.

SUA Food Pantry and Lounge 

Features produce from the UCSC Farm, ready-to-eat meals, non-perishables

EOP

UCSC Farm fresh produce distribution and snack pantry in partnership with Undocumented Student Services 

Family Student Housing (FSH) Food Pantry 

Features produce from the UCSC Farm.

For more information on food pantries at UCSC, please visit the Basic Needs Website.