Support the center

There are many ways to get involved with the Basic Needs Center, including organizing a food drive, volunteering at the Buff Pantry and more. Your support goes directly towards funding and maintaining the center and ensuring access for current and future CU Boulder students.

  • Buff Pantry: Assist with organizing the pantry, giving tours, greeting clients and logging visits
  • Mobile food pantries​: Help with information collection, food distribution and line management
  • Swipe It Forward: Table at dining hall locations to encourage students to donate meals
  • Buff Break Boxes: Help distrubute fully prepared meals to CU Boulder students

Support the center by:

  • to the Buff Pantry
  • Shopping our and Amazon wish lists
  • Participating in programs like Swipe It Forward

Help us combat food insecurity in the CU Boulder community by organizing a food drive.  to get started.

Our Impact

September 2022 - September 2024

Food Assistance

 

612,966 pounds

of food distributed through the Buff Pantry and mobile food pantries

 

510,805 meals

provided to the CU Boulder community through the Buff Pantry and mobile food pantries

 

16,697 on-campus meals

provided to students through Swipe It Forward and emergency meal cards

 

$2.34 million

saved in grocery store costs

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, on average, a trip to the grocery store in Colorado costs $85.50.

 

Emergency Housing Assistance

Supported 215 students in retaining housing

Reasons Students Seek Emergency Housing

  • Safety concerns: 20%
  • Experiencing houselessness: 48%
  • Facing or experiencing eviction: 2%
  • Uninhabitable living conditions: 20%
  • Inability to afford rent: 1%
  • Gap between housing: 9%

 

3,119 hours

contributed by volunteers

 

910 students reached

through educational programs on nutrition, housing, finance and wellness