Roxbury Community College opens a food pantry

Roxbury Community College's new food pantry opens Tuesday for students and staff in an effort to address food insecurity.

Why it matters: An estimated 37% of Massachusetts public college students lacked sufficient access to food in 2019, per a report from the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University.

What's happening: The Rox Box will open three days a week and stock both perishable and non-perishable items.

• RCC funded the pantry through $180,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars and other grants and donations.
• Stop & Shop donated $10,000 in gift cards to help the pantry restock.

Be smart: Students and staff must register to confirm they are affiliated with the college before they can pick up items.

• The pantry has limited hours: 10am-2pm Tuesdays, 10am-2pm Wednesdays and 2pm-6pm Thursdays, per an RCC spokesperson.

Zoom out: At least 42% of community college students nationwide and 33% of students at four-year colleges experienced food insecurity, according to a 2020 report from the Hope Center.

• Hundreds of colleges and universities have food pantries, including Boston University and Emerson College.