Donations are going to RIC’s food pantry.
More than 400 nonperishable food items were donated to RIC’s Food 4 Thought Pantry to fill 55 Thanksgiving baskets, thanks to food drives sponsored by several groups campuswide.
Jessica Clark, associate director of Learning for Life, which oversees the pantry, says the baskets were distributed to students and their families.
Each basket contained vegetables, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, rolls, pie filling and crust, along with a gift card to purchase a turkey (or their preferred meat) to accompany their meal.
“The amount of benevolence on the RIC campus is incredible,” Clark says. “The faculty, staff and students have shown up time and time again to support our pantry.”
Thanksgiving donations came from food drives sponsored by the Office of Financial Aid; the Department of Special Education; the Department of Biology; Graduate Studies/Professional Studies and Continuing Education; Adams Library; the Office of Accounting; the Office of the Registrar and Bursar; the School of Business and the School of Social Work.
Clark added that Greek Life, Sojourn, RIC Alumni and Foundation, and Student Community Government (SCG) contribute regularly to the pantry.
“At the SCG’s annual Thanksgiving dinner, attendees will receive a discount on their meal if they bring a canned food donation,” she says.
Jared Lafond, a member of RIC’s Master of Social Work Student Organization, says the food drive his group sponsored also served as a learning experience.
“Our idea to start a food drive emerged in October, as funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) became uncertain, raising concerns about food insecurity throughout the state,” he says. “As M.S.W. students, through our coursework and field experience, we are deeply aware of SNAP’s importance. After consulting with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the M.S.W. program staff, our organization chose to focus our efforts on supporting the campus community directly by contributing to the food pantry.”
Nationally, about 3.8 million college students experience food insecurity, according to data from the Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. “RIC’s pantry serves about 70 students per week,” says Clark, “which is significantly higher than the 45 students it served weekly during this same period in 2024.”
She cites rising grocery prices as a reason for the uptick in usage.
“As food becomes more expensive, food insecurity on campus increases,” says Clark. “The pantry distributes more than 4,000 pounds of food annually. There’s a huge need.”
While the generosity of the holiday donations is appreciated, she says the pantry’s needs continue after the holiday season is over.
“Students are hungry throughout the year, so we accept and encourage donations at any time,” Clark says.
The Food 4 Thought Pantry is located on the ground floor of Building 3 on the East Campus. It is open from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Mondays; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Tuesdays; 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Fridays.
For food assistance outside office hours, or to make a food donation, contact the Learning for Life Office at 401-456-6320 or L4Linfo@ric.edu.