UC Riverside food pantry helps keep future leaders in their degree programs

At UC Riverside, the thought of students struggling to balance classes and work on an empty stomach brought Remi Rodriguez to tears.

The food pantry coordinator tried to contain her emotions while looking straight into our Eyewitness News camera, encouraging students to stay in school.

“You’ll be happy you finished,” she said.

Rodriguez admits having no money and starving at times during her own college years.

“Sometimes I didn’t realize I didn’t eat for two days,” Rodriguez said.

She said she’s thrilled UC Riverside has a food pantry on its college campus, something that didn’t exist when she was in school.

The second the pantry opens at 11 a.m. each day, a steady stream of students flood in, desperate to get a bag of food.

Data shows the majority of California college students struggle with hunger, while eager to get the skills they need to enter the workforce and secure an in-demand job.

Rodriguez said at least half the students at UC Riverside are struggling to stay fed.

Student Nohemi Gomez said with the rising price of getting a degree, along with rent and other concerns, some students are having to make difficult decisions.

“I think a lot of students are just deciding, like, ‘Well, will I pay this or will I have something to eat?’” Gomez said. “I think a lot of times, the easier option is to, like, skip out on a meal.”

Feeding America supplies roughly 80 percent of the food in the pantry, with help from donors like Stater Bros. Markets.

“Through a partnership of our pantry, we're able to ensure that college students who typically face these different barriers are able to get the food that they need while focusing on their higher education,” Angela Jugon said.

The pantry said they see around 200 students a day.

“Some people come in really looking for groceries, and this is kind of how they get their food for the week,” student Mary Abdou said.

“I would say this resource is extremely vital for students.”

Click here to donate to Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino.