Spartan Food Pantry

COVID-19 Business Operations Update: All SJSU Cares, Case Management, and Spartan Food Pantry operations are still available. Updates will be posted on our social media @SJSUFoodPantry on IG, FB, & Twitter.

The Spartan Food Pantry is a walk-in, full-service, staffed, food assistance program offering non-perishable goods, fresh produce, and refrigerated items to eligible students.

No student should have to face food insecurity. We define those in need as students who have limited or uncertain access to nutritious and safe foods because of a lack of money and other resources.

Much of our food provided is donated in partnership with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. View our donation guidelines for ways to support us.

Fall Hours:

• Monday 11AM-4PM
• Tuesday 11AM-3PM
• Wednesday (in September) 11AM-3PM. 

Location: Diaz Compean Student Union (exterior entrance across from Engineering Rotunda). We are hosting outdoor food distribution so please maintain social distancing from others in line as well as staff/volunteers.

Eligibility:

• Experiencing Hunger/Food Insecurity
• Registered for Fall 2020
• Must bring Tower ID Card 
• Must earn a gross annual income of $29,986* or less (no documentation required) 

Food Distribution Steps 

Step 1: Check In

• Maintain social distancing when in line. Only come if you are healthy.
• Check in (staff scan your SJSU Tower ID card verifying you are currently enrolled). Staff will ask and record your name, address, family size, first per month, and if it's a repeat visit. (Some questions are for USDA reporting purposes).
• Complete the Spartan Food Pantry Intake & Agreement Form (this can be done in advance or via scanning a QR code on your personal phone on site). This is completed on the first visit of each academic semester.  We are now in the fall 2020 semester.

Step 2: Receive Items

• Inform staff member if you have allergies or do not eat meat.
• Students will receive a pre-packed allotment of food. Food varies, but will typically include items such as grains, pasta, beans, sauce, oil, milk, eggs, bag of produce, and frozen meat.
• All items are based on availability. For health reasons no swapping items; only touch what you will take.
• If you are in need of toiletries please let a staff member know.

We highly encourage students to look online if they don't know how to prepare a food. SJSU Wellness & Health Promotion has an excellent website about Eating Well on a Budget that helps provide cooking tips, videos, and recipes. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• How can I volunteer?

  • Eligible SJSU students are able to participate in the food pantry program for free. There is no exchange of work for food.

    Volunteer positions help keep our pantry running by assisting with tasks such as stocking/inventory management, cleaning, student check-in/out, compost trips, etc. Volunteers can only sign up for one shift per day.

    1) It's easy to View Opportunities & Sign Up using a Google/gmail account. Use the Volunteer Selection link to find a volunteer spot that you can fulfill. Clicking SAVE will reserve your spot and place it on your Google calendar automatically.

    That is your confirmation; we do not send additional confirmations or reminders. We anticipate seeing you at the time/date you select.

    2) Complete our Volunteer Waiver Agreement online as soon as you sign up.

    Besides volunteering, there are other ways you can give assistance. 

    General questions or group volunteering please email sjsucares@sjsu.edu.

• What do I need to know about USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Requirements? 

  • In June 2020 the Spartan Food Pantry became part of the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).  

    Staff may ask and record information such as your name, address, family size, first per month, and if it's a repeat visit on a EFA-7 form. You providing this information to staff acknowledges your consent to share this information with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. 

    Second Harvest is using TEFAP so that we can continue to distribute food to eligible students.

    Please see our poster at the pantry for more information on non-discrimination statements.

• How often can students come to the pantry?

  • Eligible students are permitted to come to the pantry once per calendar week.

• What should I know about expiration dates?
  • There are multiple types of dates (best by, use by, produced on, etc.) associated with food products in the U.S. Most consumers do not know the difference. If you have questions, please ask a staff member or review information available from Second Harvest of Silicon Valley or the USDA.
• Do I need to have my Tower ID on me?

  • Yes. Students without a Tower ID might not be able to be served. If you are a currently enrolled student who has permanently misplaced your ID card, contact the Bursar's Office for a replacement.

    New students will have their Tower ID card mailed to them; see inforamtion provided to you during orientation.

    Get more info on the Tower ID card.

• Will the pantry track my volunteer hours? Who can sign off on completed hours?
  • It is the responsibility of the volunteer to track their own hours. If you are part of a program that has a requirement/timesheet/ documentation please be sure to have that with you. Check-in with the person who is requiring you to do hours for a timesheet form or create your own.  Know that the Basic Need Coordinator(BNC) will sign your hours off, not the student staff in the pantry.  The BNC office is in the Student Services Center (SSC) 
     
    So please plan accordingly.  Email sjsucares@sjsu.edu in advance so they can review your hours prior to your arrival; provide # of hours you were required, any deadlines you have, and dates/times you have volunteered. 
    
     
    Many students volunteer for their own fulfillment and therefore do not need any verification/signatures. 
• How many students use the pantry?
  • SJSU Cares posts Monthly Usage Statistics for the Spartan Food Pantry.  We've had very high & increasing usage so it's hard to give averages.
• How did the pantry get started?
  • More information on the history of the Student Hunger Committee, early food shelf efforts, monthly distributions and more can be found on the "Data & Reports" page of the SJSU Cares website.  Our public proposal to university administrators is also a great synopsis.  

Follow Us on Social Media

Follow SJSUFoodPantry on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

*Income limits are set by US Government at 235% of the Federal Poverty Line. $2,499 monthly for individuals of a household of 1; add $877 per additional household member. Please ask if you have questions.