Pack the Pantry Food Drive! April 20-29
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
About this Event
Help Pack the ASC@UMass: The Campus Pantry by donating non-perishable foods at these collection bin locations. The Campus Pantry, located at 472 North Pleasant Street (lower level), provides free groceries to support the well-being of UMass students, faculty, staff, and their families. No donation is too small.
- When: April 20-29
- Where: Various locations, April 29 - Haigis Mall North
- Donate: Non-perishable items
Co-hosted by the UMass Amherst Community Campaign (UMACC), Basic Needs Initiatives, and Recreation and Wellbeing (RecWell), Pack the Pantry runs April 20–29 and is gathering non-perishable items that are easy to eat, store, and share, perfect for anyone who may not have easy access to a full kitchen. Donations such as pull-tab tops (soups, chili, pasta, beans), instant oatmeal packets, cereal or granola bars, snacks, and single serving packs (applesauce, instant noodles) are ideal. Last year, our drives combined collected over a ton of food, thanks to your generosity.
Food Drive Organizers Bridget Hynes (Basic Needs Initiatives) and Jen Gallant (UMACC) share: “We are so grateful for the generosity of the UMass community. People continue to show up in the most meaningful ways. What really makes a difference is the variety of items that come in. Having options beyond pantry staples is a game changer for the people who enjoy the pantry, and it wouldn’t be possible without you.”
RecWell Club Sport student-athletes are volunteering to manage food donation bins all over campus. RecWell supports 1,838 Club Sports participants who compete on 40 teams and volunteer over 3,600 hours per semester both on campus and locally in the Pioneer Valley. A special thank-you also goes to UMass Moving Services for their help with collections.
The drive wraps up on Founders Day, April 29, the annual celebration of UMass’s founding on April 29, 1863, featuring 30+ events across campus. Find our donation bin at Haigis Mall North from 11am to 4pm and celebrate the end of a great drive!
Contact jengallant@umass.edu or bridgethynes@umass.edu for more information.