MWCC Food for Thought Food Pantry

Food for Thought Campus Pantries

Thanks to the efforts of our campus and surrounding communities, the MWCC Food for Thought Campus Pantry has two locations!

Campus Pantry – Gardner Campus Campus Pantry – Leominster Campus
444 Greet Street, Gardner, MA
Room H155
Phone: 978-630-9255
Hours: Mon – Tues 8 am – 7 pm, Wed – Thurs 8 am – 4 pm, Friday 7 am – 4 pm
100 Erdman Way, Leominster MA
Phone: 978-630-9291
Hours: *By appointment only Monday – Friday.

Our Campus Pantries provide items such as snacks, prepackaged meals, and other items to students in need. Each pantry’s schedule is subject to change based on the academic calendar, availability of volunteers, as well as the status of the pandemic. Please contact our food pantries at foodpantry@mwcc.mass.edu to schedule an appointment or learn more.

Follow the instructions below for filling out this form*:

  1. Click this link Food for Thought Form to download the form. The form is also available in Spanish click here to download it.
  2. Fill out the form by clicking on the blue boxes above each line and type in your response.
  3. Once completed, right-click on the page and click “Save As” to save to your computer.
  4. Send the completed form via email to foodpantry@mwcc.mass.edu.

*Need assistance on how to fill out this form? Contact us! We are here to help.

How Does the Food Pantry Work?

Students are allowed to self-refer, or may be referred by campus departments. The food pantry is available to any currently enrolled student from our credit and non-credit (Adult Education) programs at Mount Wachusett Community College and no proof of income is required.

Students in need are welcome to visit the pantry and receive a total of 30 items per month. Students are encouraged to bring their own grocery bag or to reuse the pantry bag they are given upon their first visit to the pantry.

Food Pantry Intake Form
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Name
Address
Race (check all that apply)

We have two food pantries located in the following places. Please select the box of the location you would prefer picking your items up. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact foodpantry@mwcc.mass.edu.

Food Pantry Location Preference

Household and Income Information

*Please note, your reported income is not going to impact your eligibility for the campus food pantry.
Are you currently employed?
Primary household income source
Do you or someone in your household currently receive any of the following benefits?

Disclaimer and Signature

Please check off each bullet to acknowledge that you have read and understand each.

Why Have a Campus Food Pantry?

2020 Update On College Student Food Insecurity:

This report examines the pandemic’s impact on the #RealCollege students who were able to continue their education in this challenging environment. They analyzed results from the 2020 #RealCollege Survey, completed by more than 195,000 students attending 202 colleges and universities in 42 states.”

Nearly 3 in 5 students experience basic needs insecurity (food, housing, etc.) (The Hope Center).

2017 Update On College Student Food Insecurity:

The Wisconsin Hope Lab released data from their 2017 study on food insecurity and homelessness which includes over 33,000 students at 70 community colleges in 24 states.

2 in 3 community college students are food insecure (Goldrick-Rab et al).

Donations

The food pantry will operate exclusively through donations, both in-kind and monetary, as well as fundraising efforts to sustain it.

Items We Need

  • microwavable meals (non-perishable)
  • nonperishable snacks
  • rice (5lb bags or less are best)
  • rice blends boxes (pilaf, etc.)
  • spaghetti sauce
  • crackers (saltines, etc.)
  • cereal, oatmeal & instant oatmeal packets
  • canned meat & canned seafood
  • apple sauce & canned fruit
  • peanut butter & jelly
  • shelf-stable milk
  • personal hygiene items (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.)

*A donation bin for the items listed above is located in front of the pantry (Room H155 – Gardner campus). Monetary donations are also accepted and appreciated in Room 133 – Gardner campus.