Our mission is simple: provide nutritious food to any University student in need from any of Columbia University’s 21 Schools.
Click below to request a disbursement or to register. Feel free to browse around this page to get answers to many of your questions!
Alfred Lerner Hall
Our Lerner location is on the 5th Floor (campus side) of Alfred Lerner Hall. This location is accessible to any student in need – no matter the School affiliation!
Barnard Hall
The Barnard location was formerly at 125 LeFrak Center in Barnard Hall. This location is no longer available.
50 Haven Avenue
Our Medical Center location is on the 1st Floor at 50 Haven Avenue, between 168th & 169th Streets. Although on the CUIMC campus, this location is accessible to any student in need – no matter the School affiliation!
Now, more than ever, volunteers are needed to staff our open hours and support various events and projects.
There is no minimum number of hours required, and you decide when you can volunteer based on your on availability and interest. Both virtual and on-site training is available. Sign up now to be ready to help for the start of the semester.
The executive team is integral to the advancement of The Food Pantry at Columbia’s mission. Most Vice Chair roles average 10 – 15 hours per week. Check out our website for the available Board positions.
For those interested in applying for one of our Pantry Operations roles, while we will accept all applications, priority is given to those who have experience with, or major in, operational or project management.
Committee members assist each of the Vice Chairs to effectively perform their respective projects.
The specific requirements, number of hours, and tasks are determined by each respective Vice Chair. Furthermore, each Vice Chair decides when they will bring on new committee members, and how many committee members they will appoint. Check out our website for the available committee member positions.
The United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) defines food insecurity as a reduction of quality, variety, or desirability of diet or eating pattern with reduced food intake.
As a college student, this definition can be further detailed in a number of ways:
The following are some examples of things that do not constituent food insecurity:
While neither list is exhaustive, it is up to each individual to decide whether or not their respective circumstance constituents food insecurity.
While our locations only have the capacity to provide non-perishable food, and refrigerated and frozen food at our Barnard location, we have partnered with Corbin Hill Food Project to offer subsidized vouchers to receive one (1) fresh-produce disbursement a week from their farmshare.
To request a voucher, head to our Shop and click on the Corbin Hill Farmshares icon. This will provide more information as to the specifics of this initiative.
Check out our full FAQ for full details about The Food Pantry at Columbia.
4/24/2022: As a reminder, orders cannot include food from multiple locations. When selecting a pick-up location, please pick the location that reflects the items selected. For example, pick the Lerner Hall location when picking items from Lerner Hall; pick the Barnard Hall location when picking items from Barnard Hall. Please refer to our FAQ for additional information. Dismiss