The RBHS Food Pantry is open for pick-ups every Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Students may also schedule pick-ups on Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., or Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pantry inventory is updated every Monday afternoon by 2 p.m. and orders should be placed by Monday evening or Tuesday morning before 10 a.m.
Beginning October 12, 2022, we will ask food pantry clients to provide their names and demographic information when visiting the pantry. This information is confidential but is required by our partnership with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. Participants must register in our Pantry Database before placing an order.
For Students: If you cannot schedule your pick-up during the allotted times on Tuesdays or Fridays, please email rbhsfoodpantry@rbhs.rutgers.edu to request a time to pick up your order.
Please note we have limited bags, so it is recommended that you bring a bag with you to pick up your order.
Stanley S. Bergen Building (SSB)
Room GB-01
65 Bergen Street
Newark, New Jersey 07107
SSB is easily accessed from the ground level entrance (GA) off Bergen Street, or from Level 1 by the rear parking lot. With your Rutgers ID, you can access the building by showing security. Select GB on the elevator and once on GB the food pantry is down the hallway to the left; first door on the right.
We are seeking students—individuals and organizations/groups—to volunteer with a variety of efforts. Volunteering at the food pantry will be a great way to engage with RBHS student peers, promote community health and wellbeing, and support a culture of caring. Anticipated volunteer activities include:
Mondays (10:30 a.m.–12 p.m.)
Unloading weekly delivery including sorting produce and stocking and organizing shelves with new and existing items
Tuesdays (12 p.m.–1:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m.–3 p.m.)
Packaging and disseminating grab-and-go grocery bags
Documenting, organizing, and stocking food pantry inventory
Greeting and directing food pantry visitors during operating hours
Developing and distributing educational materials and content on topics including nutrition education, food security, and additional community resources
To donate to the food pantry, view the lists of suggested items and drop off locations below. You can also donate food directly to the food pantry from our Amazon Wish List or send us similar items from a vendor of your choice.
Monetary donations can be made by visiting give.rutgers.edu/RBHSfoodpantry or by mailing a check to the address below with the memo "RBHS Food Pantry".
Rutgers University Foundation
P.O. Box 193
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0193
Donation Suggestions and Guidelines
We ask that you check the expiration date prior to the donation of any food items. We are not yet able to accept perishable items and cannot accept any food past the expiration date listed on the item.
List of requested items (this list is not exhaustive):
As many as 42% of college students face food insecurity, with 81% saying that it impacts their academics. Nearly one quarter of our RBHS Newark students are food insecure, a situation only worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Insufficient access to nutritious food adversely affects not only physical and mental health but can reduce the likelihood of participating in learning activities. That's why RBHS Food Pantry was created and launched in Fall 2021.
One Year Out: Impacts of the RBHS Food Pantry in the Face of Food Insecurity
In its first year in operation, from September 2021 through September 2022, the food pantry has played an integral role in supplying food while also curbing food waste:
• Nearly 15,000 people from roughly 4,000 households served • More than 118,500 pounds of food provided to patrons • Over 100 children provided with diapers each month
