Stop & Shop donation will stock the shelves at Maria's Place

Stop & Shop announced on Oct. 29 a $200,000 donation in support of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system's on-campus food pantries. 

The donation comes after the neighborhood grocer marked a major milestone in its fight against food insecurity as it welcomed its 300th school to its School Food Pantry Program. 

Special Project Administrator for the President's Office Courtney Gabarée attended the announcement event on behalf of Central. Gabarée coordinates donations and logistics at Maria’s Place, Central’s on-campus food pantry.

The funds will go directly to support on-campus food pantries at Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western Connecticut state universities and Connecticut State Community College, ensuring that students have consistent access to nutritious food and essential items.

“At our colleges and universities, we take care of the whole student. We know that if we want our students to succeed, we need to ensure that they have access to fresh and nutritious food that fuels them so they can reach their fullest potential in and out of the classroom,” said CSCU Interim Chancellor Natalie Braswell. 

As food insecurity continues to grow across Connecticut, CSCU's campus pantries are supported by a network of partners working together to help ensure students have access to the resources they need to succeed. In-school pantries provide students and their families with convenient access to critical food resources in a trusted environment that’s already part of their daily life. 

Connecticut Foodshare plays a key role in these efforts, helping supply nearly all CSCU campus pantries and connecting colleges and universities with food resources throughout the state.

“When people imagine their college experience, they are not necessarily thinking about where their next meal will come from. But that is the reality for so many students. Connecticut Foodshare is proud to work with our partners at Stop & Shop and CSCU to make sure these pantries are well-resourced and accessible to any student who needs food assistance,” said Jason Jakubowski, president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare.

The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry Program has supported CSCU pantries for six years, providing nearly $800,000 in support for students experiencing food insecurity.

Roger Wheeler, president of Stop & Shop, said, “While we're proud to support CSCU through our School Food Pantry Program, this work is bigger than any one organization. It takes strong partnerships among colleges, hunger-relief organizations, and community leaders to address the growing need for food assistance across Connecticut. We're honored to work alongside CSCU and Connecticut Foodshare to help ensure more students have consistent access to the food and resources they need to thrive.”

Since its inception in 2019, Stop & Shop’s program has invested more than $10 million to grow its in-school pantry network across the Northeast.