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Open Pantry

The Open Pantry has moved to its new permanent location in room 242 of the Campus Center. We look forward to serving students in our new space!

Open Pantry was created in 2017 by the Student Services and Relations Committee, within Macalester’s Student Government, in order to address food insecurity at Macalester. It is designed to be a supplemental source that helps students fulfill the disparity in obtaining some essentials throughout the academic year and during summers.

Anyone Macalester student who is experiencing financial, health-related, or other challenges that may impact their access to food and other essentials should consider Open Pantry a resource, whether their need is acute or chronic.

Our Mission

The Macalester Open Pantry exists to ensure all students have access to healthy food in a timely manner.  We believe in the following principles that help center our work in supporting students:

  1. Food is a basic right for all individuals
  2. Everyone deserves access to healthy food, where they live, that they can get to
  3. Everyone deserves access to foods that are familiar to them and fit their cultural preferences, abilities, and dietary needs
  4. Working collaboratively with other campuses, community organizations, and across our campus drives our mutual success
  5. Operating in a way that supports equity, sustainability, and fairness to all builds a stronger campus community

Support the Open Pantry

The Open Pantry accepts food donations year round, and is always in need of paper bags. To donate, please ensure your items are unopened, not damaged, list their ingredients and are within six months of the best by date on the packaging.

Monetary donations can also be made through Support Mac. To ensure your donation reaches the Open Pantry, select “Other” as your gift designation, and type Open Pantry in to the designation comments.

Fall 2025 Hours

New this semester: the Open Pantry now has a card reader installed so all students can now access the pantry when the Campus Center is open (7 am- 1am on weekdays, 10 am-1 am on weekends). Card access to the pantry will also be available on break periods mirroring Campus Center Building Hours. Just tap your Mac ID to enter, and take what you need. Before leaving the pantry, please do the following:

  • Weigh your items.
  • Complete the survey on the iPad in the pantry.
  • Close the door behind you if there is no one else in the space.

The pantry is still staffed daily, and those hours are listed below for the Fall 2025 semester:

  • Sundays: 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
  • Mondays: 7:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.; 3:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
  • Tuesdays: 2:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M.
  • Wednesdays: 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.; 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
  • Thursdays: 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.; 2:00 P.M – 8:00 P.M.
  • Fridays: 7:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.; 3:45 P.M. – 7:45 P.M.
  • Saturdays: 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.