The Food Pantry at Iowa is a student-led organization dedicated to providing nutritious food and essential items to University of Iowa students, faculty, and staff in need, while combating food insecurity through education and advocacy.

Our story began when a group of University of Iowa students recognized a serious problem on campus: fellow Hawkeyes were going hungry, struggling to afford necessities while pursuing their education. Motivated to take action, these undergraduate students formed the Food Pantry Steering Committee—a passionate team that gathered data on food insecurity, secured a location, built campus partnerships, and obtained funding. After a year of hard work, the Food Pantry at Iowa officially opened its doors in the Iowa Memorial Union at the start of the Fall 2016 semester.

We believe that access to healthy food is a basic human right. No member of the University of Iowa community should have to sacrifice nutrition to make ends meet. For college students especially, affordable, healthy food is essential for academic success, physical well-being, and the ability to thrive on campus.

As a student organization, we don’t just provide resources—we also raise awareness and advocate for change. Through hunger awareness events such as food drives, hunger banquets, and cooking demonstrations, we educate the campus community about the realities of college food insecurity. We welcome anyone with a University of Iowa ID card, whether they be students, faculty, or staff. Together, we can make a difference at the University of Iowa.