The Pantry at Geneseo
Welcome to The Pantry at Geneseo!
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide food insecure students with food as a requirement of the SUNY Food Insecurity Task Force. While providing students with food, we maintain anonymity and work to destigmatize food insecurity in our community. To get started, click the link below.
pickup request form
Sustainability
The Pantry at Geneseo continuously works to become sustainable and maintain sustainability initiatives. We provide students who use The Panty with reusable bags during pickups. Students are encouraged to return the bag anytime during our open hours or at the time of their next pickup.
In addition to reusable bags, other sustainable food storage items are available. Beeswax wraps, reusable freezer bags and reusable storage containers are available to students during the bag request process (when inventory allows).
Donations
We accept food and hygiene donations as well as financial contributions.
Food and Hygiene:
For fall 2024, here are the high-need food and non-food donations:
- Food: Non-Perishables
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- Protein Bars
- Peanut Butter
- Tortillas
- Food: Perishables
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- Fresh Seasonal Fruits
- Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
- Frozen Fruit
- Frozen Vegetables
- Non-Food: Hygiene
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- Toilet paper
- Tissues
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Shampoos
- Conditioners
- Reusable Ziploc-style Bags
- Reusable Containers (TupperWare)
- Toilet paper
All donations can be dropped off in College Union, Room 114 or 353. Please email The Pantry if you are looking to make a donation during a college break.
Financial contributions
Monetary donations can be made using The Geneseo Foundation donation form. Click the button for directions and FAQs regarding The Pantry's use of the form:
How to donate money: Directions and FAQs
If you would like to conduct a food drive on our behalf, please email us in advance!
Meet Our Team
Name
Fiona Foley
Grace Sutherland
Matthew McGowan
Talia Weidberg
Our Hours:
We schedule pickups based on staff availability. There will be a GOLD mentor in Room 114 during the following times:
Semester Hours:
Monday: 12pm to 4pm
Tuesday: 12pm to 4pm
Wednesday: 12pm to 4pm
Thursday: 12pm to 4 pm
Summer Hours:
By appointment only, e-mail: foodpantry@geneseo.edu
Our Location:
MacVittie College Union, Room 114
Our E-mail:
Our Socials:
Instagram: @thepantryatgeneseo
Facebook: @thepantryatgeneseo
Eligibility
All students are eligible to receive food from The Pantry. Students just need to follow the directions listed below in the "How to Receive Food" section to be supplied with food. Please note, the bags provided are meant to be a supplement to those who are food insecure and not be their primary source of sustenance.
How to Receive Food
In order for students to receive food from the pantry, they are required to fill out the Geneseo Food Pantry Request Form. This form is open Monday through Friday and is to be filled out for the following week. The form is also provided outside The Pantry's location in the College Union in the form of a QR code.
Students provide The Pantry coordinators with basic information such as preferred name, G#, contact information, pick up date and time, food preferences, and allergies. This form also collects optional demographic information to provide statistics for grants and funding. To ensure anonymity, only The Pantry coordinators will see this information and it will not be shared with other students.
Once the form is completed, a The Pantry coordinator will contact the student with a confirmation email. Students will receive a unique identification number (i.e. A12) to ensure anonymity and their bag is then labeled with this number. Students are to pick up their bag during the time selected and confirmed from the request form.
To receive the requested bag, students will check-in with a mentor in Room 114 in the College Union during staffing hours on the day they selected to pick up their bag.
All bags are held for two weeks before being disassembled and items reallocated to other users. Users receive a reminder to pick up their bag the week following a missed pickup.
The Role of GOLD Mentors
The Pantry coordinators are grateful to work with GOLD leader mentors. They are the front-facing staff of The Pantry and the first people a student will encounter when checking in for their pick-ups. They also serve as a touchpoint for all Geneseo students and are prepared to answer questions students may have to the best of their ability.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Generally, students attending an institution of higher education (i.e., college, university, trade/technical school) more than half-time are only eligible for SNAP if they meet an exemption. For more information, click here.
The institution of higher education determines what is considered ‘half-time’ enrollment. Students who meet an exemption must also meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements.
To get SNAP benefits, you must apply in the state in which you currently live, and you must meet certain requirements, including resource and income limits.
Are you interested in applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)?
We are partnering with Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. to help students apply for SNAP benefits. If you would like to apply, contact:
Yolanda Sheffa, Director of Nutrition Outreach and Education.
Phone: (585) 504-2961 ext. 7000
E-mail: ysheffa@lawny.org
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is The Pantry requiring recipients to show ID?
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Our current model does not require recipients arriving to pick up their requested bags to provide proof of identification (just their unique identifier). While this may be subject to change, we are doing our best to comply with all students’ comfort level of anonymity.
- Will The Pantry be offering any type of delivery option?
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The Pantry currently does not deliver. While exceptions are possible, please be mindful that these are only offered in the case of an emergency.
- Can someone else pick up my bags?
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Yes, they just need your unique identification number given in the confirmation email.
- What is included in the pick up bags?
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The exact contents of the bags will vary depending on the products we receive from the suppliers and donations. We provide mainly non-perishables and a limited amount of perishables. For the emergency bags, there will be a limited selection of non-perishables that will depend upon our available inventory.
- Does an emergency bag count towards my pickup?
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No, an emergency bag is not classified as a pickup.
- If The Pantry at Geneseo is closed, are there other resources I can use?
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Yes! There are a few different resources in the Geneseo area.
The Geneseo-Groveland Emergency Food Pantry is located in the Central Presbyterian Church at 31 Center St. The food pantry is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The Parish Outreach Center is located in the Geneseo United Methodist Church at 4520 Genesee St. (Route 63). The pantry is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to noon. Students in need of hygiene or food items can stop in during that time.