U of M Expands Food Pantries to Fight Student Hunger in Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota announced an expansion of its Nutritious U Food Pantry program through a new partnership with Second Harvest Heartland and the University of Minnesota Foundation, slashing costs and ramping up fresh food access at three Twin Cities locations: Coffman Memorial Union on the East Bank, the West Bank Skyway building, and the St. Paul Student Center. Fall 2025 marked the pantry's busiest semester ever with 10,251 visits, a 62% surge from fall 2024, prompting longer hours—now two days weekly from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Coffman, plus monthly stops on West Bank and St. Paul campuses. Offerings have grown to include eggs, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, culturally appropriate items like fish sauce, tofu and halal meat, plus hygiene products such as soap and detergent.

Food insecurity affects about one-third of University of Minnesota students, a crisis addressed by the university's $1.5 million allocation in its 2026-2027 budget for basic needs, funding emergency grants, extra staff and pantry expansions. Students can visit once weekly, with additional support from the student organic farm providing produce and local bakeries donating bread, bagels and pastries, especially on St. Paul campus where a food mobile offers meat, dairy and household items. The program, launched in 2017, evolved from one week monthly in 2022 to its current robust network.

This builds on Minnesota's 2019 Hunger Free Campus Act, championed by LeadMN students, which requires campuses to maintain food pantries or local food bank ties to earn designation. Boynton Health, overseeing Nutritious U, sources cheaper bulk food via Second Harvest to sustain growth amid rising needs tied to local unemployment and economic pressures tracked in the university's Food Security Dashboard. Spring 2026 dates for all locations are posted online, ensuring ongoing access for East Bank, West Bank and St. Paul students.