This is how breakthroughs happen.
MESSAGE FROM THE ASSOCIATE DEAN
Each student who visits the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center has a unique and inspiring story. Providing them with nutritional food and other health and wellness resources allows our Bearcats to focus on their academics and stay on track to graduate rather than worrying about where they might get their next meal.
DANIEL CUMMINS
Associate Dean of Students Division of Student Affairs University of Cincinnati
NOURISHING EVERY BEARCAT
In 2016, the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center opened its doors at the University of Cincinnati with a simple but critical mission: provide free, nutritious food to students struggling to find their next meal.
Since then, the center has become a vital lifeline for our growing Bearcat community offering essential resources including groceries, clothing and other critical support services for students to combat food and other insecurities.
Now, we are entering a breakthrough era—one defined by bold action and transformative impact. Funded entirely through donations, the center could not provide these critical programs and support without the generosity of caring partners like you.
With support from our partners, our vision is to expand food distribution, elevate support services and spearhead new initiatives to reach more Bearcats in need.
With philanthropic investments from our dedicated alumni, civic and business leaders, we can become a model resource and research center focused on addressing food insecurity through a robust network of programs to promote health, independence and academic success.
Together, we can break through barriers and deliver life-changing support—ensuring every Bearcat has what they need to thrive and give their UC journey all they’ve got.
The next chapter begins with you.
“I needed the support of programs like the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center. Without resources like this, a lot more people wouldn’t be able to handle the rigorous coursework, stay enrolled and make their dreams come true. Thank you for your empathy, for your compassion. You are helping to build my dreams and goals, and your support doesn’t go unnoticed. It is foundational for the future of the university.”
WILL SMITH, MD ’24
GET TO KNOW THE BEARCATS PANTRY AND RESOURCE CENTER
2,300+ Bearcats used the center in the 2024-2025 academic year—more than double the amount just two years ago.
70% of Bearcats Pantry users are employed but still need help filling in the gap.
9,400+ services were provided to those in need —tripled from 2023.
14,000+ Bearcats face food and other basic need insecurities.
83% of clients are graduate students, underscoring the complex factors related to food insecurity.
86% of clients report that half of their food and other wellness necessities come from the center.
EXPAND SUPPORT TO FUEL EVERY BEARCAT
As UC has grown to more than 50,000 students, the demand for the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center has surged—and the true need is even greater, hidden by the stigma surrounding food insecurity. Our vision is bold: to break through barriers and ensure every Bearcat has the support to thrive.
We know a college degree is the most powerful tool for generational change—and a UC degree opens doors to careers of meaning and impact. With dedicated partners, we will expand our reach, elevate services and create a model for addressing student hunger and resource insecurity.
Philanthropic priorities include:
Name the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center: $3 million
Create a legacy of nourishment, hope and well-being for all Bearcats with a signature $3 million gift to name the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center—including its flagship 1,200 square-foot Stratford Heights market and the mission-driven programming that supports basic needs security across UC’s footprint.
An endowed investment at this level will:
• Name the pantry’s highly visible Stratford Heights market, providing permanent support for facility upgrades that ensure a welcoming, dignified and functional environment for every student who walks through its doors.
• Strengthen and expand basic needs programming across UC, fueling initiatives that help students navigate food insecurity, access wraparound services and remain focused on their academic success.
• Provide sustainable support for staffing and operations, ensuring the pantry remains a beacon of dignity, stability and care for generations of Bearcats.
REMOVING BARRIERS TO SUCCESS FOR ALL BEARCATS
Empower student well-being with sustainable support
In addition to the Stratford Heights market operations, the Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center is a hub for essential resources and programs that thousands of students rely on each year, including:
• Family First—Monthly diapers, wipes and essentials for student parents.
• Career Closet—Free professional attire for interviews and internships.
• Community Garden—Fresh produce and supplies for home growing.
• BCP Farmers Market—No cost access to locally grown produce.
• Satellite markets—With five unique locations, our markets extend the pantry’s full range of services and programs across UC’s footprint.
The Bearcats Pantry Support Fund ensures these mission driven programs strengthen student stability, support well being and remove barriers to academic success. Your support helps keep these resources strong, responsive and accessible.
Ways you can sustain this fund:
Endow the fund
Provide permanent support that generates steady annual resources.
Annual leadership gift
Deliver immediate, flexible funding to meet rising student needs.
Program-directed support
Support the initiatives that prioritize your values.
Strengthen a satellite market
Ensure essential resources reach every corner of UC’s landscape.
Honorary or memorial gift
Celebrate someone meaningful through a tribute that fuels student success.
Multiyear commitment
Offer unwavering support that enables the pantry to deliver essential care and longterm growth for generations of Bearcats.
THANK YOU
Now, more than ever, philanthropy has the power to ignite enduring changes for generations of Bearcats to come. Together, we can provide life-changing support to ensure our Bearcats have all they need to give their UC journey all they’ve got.
Thank you for helping us make this breakthrough happen.
CONTACT
Chris Eden
Assistant Vice President of Development University of Cincinnati Foundation
Chris.Eden@foundation.uc.edu 513-556-0912
Chris Pinelo
Director of Development, Academic Affairs University of Cincinnati Foundation Chris.Pinelo@foundation.uc.edu 859-466-1089
To learn more about the pantry and resources, scan the QR code with your phone camera or visit uc.edu/campus-life/bearcats-pantry.