Whole Foods donates more than $4,000 to Rider campus pantry

Rider University's on-campus pantry received more than $4,000 from Whole Foods Market as part of its Nickels for Nonprofits Program.

The program collects $0.05 per bag from those who shop with reusable bags. The Rider Resource Pantry was selected as the recipient of the funds collected during the first half of 2020 from the Whole Foods Market store in Princeton, N.J.

"We are very thankful for the generosity of Whole Foods and its shoppers," says Joan Liptrot, director of service & civic engagement at Rider. "The pantry's mission and Whole Foods' mission are similar — to care about our communities by feeding those in need. The donation will help us ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our students."

The donation will aid the Rider Resource Pantry, which provides food, clothing, toiletries and school supplies to resource-insecure students.

"Students will be more successful if they’re not worried about where their next meal is coming from," says Joe Anselmi, Princeton Whole Foods Market team leader. "Our team is proud to provide local students a hand up when it’s needed.”

Food insecurity, or the limited or uncertain availability of nutritional food, is a growing issue on college campuses. According to recent reports, it is estimated that nearly half of American undergraduates experience food insecurity while pursuing college degrees. Lack of access to essentials has also been found to negatively impact students' educational efforts.

Established in 2018, the Rider Resource Pantry has served hundreds of students. In the 2019-20 school year alone, nearly 200 students accessed the pantry for food and necessary supplies. Even during the coronavirus outbreak, the pantry continued to assist 57 students in need.

The community-based pantry is solely reliant on donations. Gourmet Dining, the University's food service provider, helps stock the pantry with an annual donation of $5,000 and various campus organizations collect donations throughout the year. Gourmet Dining also allows students to donate unused guest passes to students in need to access the dining hall. In 2019, the pantry became a proud participant of Panera Bread's Day-End Dough-Nation Program. Once a week, Panera donates unsold bread and baked goods to the Rider Resource Pantry.

The pantry continues to expand its offerings. It has increased the availability of protein-rich and culturally appropriate food items, and developed a point-value system to ensure students receive a balanced supply of fruits, grains, vegetables and proteins.

"Food insecurity is becoming more and more common for college students," says Susan Perls, coordinator of service & civic engagement. "By easing the burden of where students are going to find their next meal, we hope it allows them to focus on their college experience and get the most out of their time at Rider."

To support the Rider Resource Pantry, monetary donations can be made via checks payable to Rider University with Rider Pantry indicated in the memo section.