The Student Cupboard – Filling the Gap When Budgets Fall Short.

As the price of food, gas, and rent continues to skyrocket, the Amendola Family Student Cupboard is one campus resource students can count on to help fill the gap when grocery budgets fall short. The best part–all items available in the Cupboard are free.

“It’s set up like a regular grocery store,” said Jacob Kuhlemeier, student staff assistant. “Students can grab a basket. All the items on the shelves are going to be one of each kind of item, fruits and produce are all unlimited so they can take as much as they need.”

Since the beginning of the school year, over 19,000 visits have been made to the Cupboard.

Students can go once a day and choose from a wide variety of snacks, conveniently pre-packaged meals, and items to prepare meals at home. Produce bins, cold cases, and shelves are stocked daily so there’s always plenty to choose from.

Students only need to provide their student ID card or ID number and bring a couple of bags to carry out their items.

The staff at the Cupboard are friendly, knowledgeable, and always ready to help students with food suggestions, food prep ideas, and recipes. The Cupboard also hosts regular classes and workshops covering nutrition and budgeting that any student can attend.

“Some of the classes we offer are shopping on a budget as well as building a healthy plate,” said Claudia Lopez, student staff assistant. “Students can sign up for these classes when we promote them on our social media accounts, through our tabling events, or in person at the Cupboard.”

Items in the Cupboard are always changing. Weekly specials and recipe ideas are posted on the Cupboard’s Instagram and Facebook accounts.

The Cupboard is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday to 6 p.m. And now, thanks to student feedback, the Cupboard is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Amendola Family Cupboard is located on the corner of Barstow and Jackson. Several 30-minute parking spaces are available behind the store. Parking is also available in Lot P20 across from the Industrial Technology building.

The Cupboard is funded by the Central California Food Bank and other financial donations.