Bearcats Pantry

The Bearcats Pantry is operating on an appointment-only basis. Walk-ins will be turned away and asked to schedule an appointment before coming back.

You can schedule a day and time to visit via our booking site or by emailing BearcatsPantry@ucmail.uc.edu. 

We are allowing only two visitors in the pantry at a time. All visitors are required to wear a mask while in the pantry. All visitors are also required to use hand sanitizer before entering the pantry. 

Our staff and volunteers will be wearing a mask and will sanitize frequently touched surfaces in the pantry. 

Our goal is to assist students in need by cutting down their grocery bills and connecting them to other resources in an effort to promote independence. The pantry is meant to provide supplemental support, which means we do not supply enough food to completely eradicate food insecurity. 

The Bearcats Pantry is an initiative founded in 2016 by the Assistant Dean of Students, Daniel S. Cummins. With the help of a strong and dedicated committee team and other UC affiliates, the Bearcats Pantry was created. The Bearcats Pantry also became a member of the College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA) which strives to “alleviate the barriers and challenges associated with food insecurity and hunger so that college and university students can remain in school, and ultimately, earn their degrees.”

Daniel S. Cummins - Assistant Dean of Students
Jessie Fix - Graduate Assistant
Isaiah Corso-Phinney - AmeriCorps Member

Phone: 513-556-3780
Email: BearcatsPantry@ucmail.uc.edu

The Bearcats Pantry offers a main location along with meal vouchers and to-go bags located at several offices around campus.

For all Bearcats Pantry services, you will be asked to fill out an intake survey, which will ask for your M#. The intake survey is meant to help the Bearcats Pantry understand the needs of the students it serves, as well as connect you, the student, to more resources available.

The Pantry is located in Stratford Heights Building 16 Rm 007. Typical hours for the Bearcats Pantry are 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday.

Directions to the Pantry: Enter Stratford Heights Building 16 from Stratford Ave. (building on the right) or from Clifton Ave. down the sidewalk ramp (building on the left). Electronic door buttons are available to enter. The pantry is located on the lower level, which can be accessed via the stairs to the left of the main entrance or the elevator to the right of the main entrance. If you are driving, you may also pull up to the building from Stratford Ave. and park in the turn-around while you visit. 

If you have questions regarding directions or procedures, or if these hours do not work with your schedule, you may call 513-556-3780 to speak with a respresentative regarding directions or procedures.

• After completing the intake survey, the worker or volunteer will take you back to the pantry. You will be given a bag to place items into. Please take what you need. We are a completely free choice pantry.
  
• If possbile for future visits, please bring back the reusable bags.
• Our goal is for this process to be as easy, quick, and confidential as possible.

The Career Closet is part of the main pantry and offers free professional clothing to students who are preparing for interviews, internship experiences, or professional classroom presentations. There is a variety of clothing items including suit jackets, pants, ties, dresses, blazers, shoes and other accessories. When a student picks out an outfit, it is theirs to keep.

The Blue Ash Campus has a satelitte pantry located in Muntz 125. Please contact Laurie Malone (513-936-1537 or maloneli@ucmail.uc.edu) for questions about this location.

Bearcats Food Pantry To-Go bags are located at various sites around campus. Listed below is a complete list of locations:

• DAAP Student Affairs - 5470 Aronoff
• College of Engineering and Applied Sciences - 665 Baldwin Hall, Suite I
• College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services - Student Services Center, 360 Teachers-Dyer Complex
• College of Allied Health Sciences - G60 Health Science Building
• College of Medicine - E-450 Medical Sciences Building
• College of Nursing - 213 Proctor Hall
• College of Pharmacy - 169 Kowalewski Hall
• UC Police Department - 3 Edwards Center
• UC Blue Ash Student Food Pantry - Academic Advising Office

• After locating a site, you will be directed to a specific office within the designated building. Tell the person in the office that you are here for a Bearcats Food Pantry To-Go bag.
• After completing the intake survey, you will be given a prepackaged food bag. 

The Bearcats Pantry has developed a meal swipe voucher program. Students can donate one swipe per semester to the pantry, which will then become meal vouchers for students in need. Students can use these vouchers at UC Main Campus dining halls and at UC Blue Ash Bleecker Street Café.

• Assistant Dean of Students Office - Stratford Heights Building 21 Suite 101
• OMBUDS Office - 607 Swift Hall
• The Student Wellness Center - 675 Steger Student Life Center
• College of Engineering and Applied Sciences - 665 Baldwin Hall, Suite I
• College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services - Student Services Center, 360 Teachers-Dyer Complex
• Student Conduct & Community Standards Office - Suite 745 Steger Student Life Center
• DAAP Student Affairs - 5470 Aronoff
• Student Affairs Office - 630 Steger Student Life Center
• University of Cincinnati Interfaith Coalition (UCIC) 

• The Wesley Foundation in Cincinnati (United Methodist) - Benji Sayre
• University Christian Church (Rohs Street Cafe) - Justine Hatton
• The Edge House - Lutheran Campus Ministry - Alice Conner
• St. Monica-St. George Newman Center (Catholic) - Leslie Keener
• Collegiate Ministry House - Ken Dillard
• Cincinnati Hillel - Sharon Stern
• Chabad at UC - Yitzi Creeger

• Locker Rooms - Bag storage and the use of showers is available on the bottom level in the Campus Recreation Center.
• Microwaves - General use microwaves are available in Tangeman University Center (TUC) in the 2nd floor food court area. 
• Tenant Info Project (TIP) - Provides legal information to callers concerning landlord/tenant law. Call (513) 556-0053 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday.