The Pantry at Geneseo
Welcome to The Pantry at Geneseo! The pantry is facilitated by interns and volunteers working out of the Office of Student Volunteerism and Community Engagement, GOLD mentors, and student-athlete mentors.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide food insecure students with food as a requirement of the SUNY Food Insecurity Task Force. While providing students with food, we maintain anonymity and work to destigmatize food insecurity in our community.
Sustainability
The Pantry at Geneseo will continuously work to become sustainable. We will be providing students who use the pantry with reusable bags. Students are encouraged to return the bag to a mentor anytime during their shift or at the time of their next pickup.
Donations
We accept food and hygiene donations as well as financial contributions. Food and hygiene donations can be dropped off in Room 114 in the College Union during the hours mentors are staffed. Financial contributions can be made using The Geneseo Foundation donation form. Directions and FAQs regarding The Pantry's use of The Geneseo Foundation donation form can be found using the button below. Directions and FAQs
If you would like to conduct a food drive on our behalf please email us in advance!
Our Hours:
We schedule pickups based on staff availability. There will be a GOLD mentor or student athlete mentor in Room 114 at the following times to answer any questions you may have:
Monday to Thursday: 12pm to 4pm
Location:
MacVittie College Union, Room 114
Eligibility
All students are eligible to receive food from The Pantry. Students just need to follow the directions listed below in the "How to Receive Food" to be supplied with food. Additionally, the bags provided are meant to be a supplement to those who are food insecure and not be their primary source of sustenance.
How to Receive Food
In order for students to receive food from the pantry, they are required to fill out the Geneseo Food Pantry Request Form. This form will be sent out weekly and is to be filled out for the following week. This form is also provided outside The Pantry's location in the College Union in the form of a QR code. Students provide the pantry coordinators with basic information such as preferred name, G#, contact information, pick up date and time, food preferences, and allergies. This form also collects optional demographic information to provide statistics for grants and funding. To ensure anonymity, only the pantry coordinators will see this information and it will not be shared with other students.
Once the form is completed, one of the pantry coordinators will contact the student with a confirmation email. Students will receive a unique identification number (i.e. A12) to ensure anonymity and their bag is then labeled with this number. Students are to pick up their bag during their assigned time. Finally, students will check-in with a mentor in Room 114 in the College Union to pick up their bag.
The Role of GOLD Mentors
Pantry coordinators are grateful to work with GOLD leader mentors. They are the front-facing staff of the pantry and the first people a student will encounter when checking in for their pick-ups. They also serve as a touchpoint for all Geneseo students and are prepared to answer questions students may have to the best of their ability.
SNAP Resources
April 28, 2023 - Last week, the United States Department of Education released additional guidance regarding the upcoming end of the public health emergency and what this will mean for students’ access to public benefits such as SNAP. View the memo.
Under regular SNAP eligibility requirements, students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education are typically ineligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet certain specific exemptions. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to include students who either:
- Are eligible to participate in state or federally financed work-study during the regular academic year, as determined by the institution of higher education; or
- Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year, which includes students who are eligible for a maximum Pell Grant.
The pandemic health emergency will end on May 11, 2023, which means the extra SNAP exemptions will end 30 days later.
Importantly, students who submit their SNAP applications after June 10, 2023, will be processed under the previous (and more limited) SNAP rules.
However, applications received before June 10, 2023, will be processed under the expanded pandemic rule—which means they will retain eligibility until their recertification date, which is typically one year.
So even after the pandemic emergency ends, you may still be eligible for SNAP, and there is a significant benefit to applying before June 10, 2023.
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Are you interested in applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)? We are partnering with Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. to help students apply for SNAP benefits. If you would like to apply, contact Yolanda Sheffa, the Director of Nutrition Outreach and Education.
Direct Line: (585) 504-2961 ext. 7000 or email her at ysheffa@lawny.org
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is The Pantry requiring recipients to show ID?
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Our current model does not require recipients arriving to pick up their pre-ordered bags to provide proof of identification (just their unique identifier). While this may be subject to change, we are doing our best to comply with all students’ comfort level of anonymity.
- Will The Pantry be offering any type of delivery option?
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The pantry currently does not deliver. While exceptions are possible, please be mindful that these are only offered in the case of an emergency.
- Can someone else pick up my bags?
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Yes, they just need your unique identification number given in the confirmation email.
- What is included in the pick up bags?
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The exact contents of the bags will vary depending on the products we receive from the suppliers and donations. We provide mainly non-perishables and a limited amount of perishables. For the emergency bags, there will be a narrow selection of nonperishables that will depend upon our available inventory.
- Does an emergency bag count towards my pickup?
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No, an emergency bag is not classified as a pickup.
- If The Pantry at Geneseo is closed, are there other resources I can use?
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Yes! There are a few different resources in the Geneseo area.
The Geneseo-Groveland Emergency Food Pantry is located in the Central Presbyterian Church at 31 Center St. The food pantry is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The Parish Outreach Center is located in the Geneseo United Methodist Church at 4520 Genesee St. (Route 63). The pantry is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to noon. Students in need of hygiene or food items can stop in during that time.
Contact Us
Email: foodpantry@geneseo.edu
Coordinators:
Funding and Training: Matthew McGowan, mrm31@geneseo.edu
Marketing and Outreach: Halie Cardon, hmc6@geneseo.edu
Logistics and Inventory: Shelby Soper, sas99@geneseo.edu
Social Media
Instagram: @thepantryatgeneseo
Facebook: @thepantryatgeneseo