The Student Pantry provides support and assistance to current Northeastern students struggling with food insecurity. It also offers external resources and connects non-students to local food pantries through the Chicago Greater Food Depository Find Food tool.
2024-2025 HOURS OF OPERATION
Fall Hours
Monday: Noon-3:00 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday: 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Location: Main Campus, Student Union, RoomSU 123
Students facing extenuating circumstances can contact the pantry at student-pantry@neiu.edu if special arrangements are needed.
Closings due to observed holiday breaks or emergency closures will be announced via Targeted Announcements and posted as notices through Student Affairs.
Volunteering
If you would like to volunteer, please contact student-pantry@neiu.edu or call (773) 442-6094 during pantry hours. Volunteers need first to attend a training before being in the Student Pantry.
About the Student Pantry
Northeastern's Student Pantry opened in Fall 2015 under the sponsorship of the Division of Student Affairs. The original plan for the Student Pantry was developed through a grassroots effort during the Fall 2012 semester among faculty, staff and students who shared an interest in finding ways to address the problem of hunger among NEIU students.
The NEIU Student Pantry has a partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD). GCFD is an organization to help end food insecurity within Chicago and the Greater Chicago area. With their support, the NEIU Student Pantry receives many donations such as produce, canned and bagged items. Visit the GCFD website to learn more.
The primary objectives of the NEIU Student Pantry include:
- Provide support and assistance to current students struggling with food insecurity;
- Improve academic success by improving access to ongoing sources of nutrition for our students;
- Provide hands-on volunteer leadership experiences for students while increasing their commitment to civic engagement;
- Develop internship opportunities for students in academic programs including Social Work, Communication, Community Health, Business Management, and Justice Studies.
First-time Visitors
Please register with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and create a profile by providing your basic information. Upon completion, you will receive a seven-digit Client ID number. You will need that Client ID to access food from the pantry. You can do this before visiting or during your visit. If you forget to register, no need to worry! While you wait to enter the student pantry we ask students to register with the GCFD using a flyer outside the pantry with a QR code.
Walk-Ins/Returning Visitors
- Students may walk in during normal hours of operation
- Students need to show a NEIU student ID and fill out a Google form (link is provided at the pantry front desk)
- If there are four shoppers at the pantry, we ask students to walk-ins to wait outside for entry.
Finding a Food pantry near you
The Student Pantry is intended to support current students facing basic needs insecurity.
Non-students and Northeastern community members can find a food pantry using the Chicago Greater Food Depository Find Food tool.