»The Panther Pantry

All currently enrolled students and employed faculty/staff may visit the Panther Pantry locations on the Orange and Rinker campuses once they've completed this registration form to request pantry access.  Pantry users may only visit during staffed operating hours.

 

 

REGULAR OPERATING HOURS

Orange Campus (Morlan Hall 172)

Fall & Spring Hours:

• Monday-Friday: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Summer Hours:

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00am – 2:00pm

 

Rinker Campus (Campus Center 126)

• Hours vary by trimester and academic schedule. Most pantry shifts occur Monday-Friday between 12:00pm and 6:00pm.

Hours and staff availability may vary throughout the year. Please contact the pantry for the most current schedule. 

 

Holiday Closures

Both Panther Pantry locations are closed during the following University holidays and campus closures: 

• Labor Day 

• Thanksgiving Break 

• Winter Holiday Break 

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day 

• Memorial Day 

• Juneteenth 

• Independence Day (observed) 

Questions? Contact the Panther Pantry at pantry@chapman.edu. 

Yes, pantry users may visit both locations and may use either location for grocery and/or snack visits. For example, a pantry user might use the Orange location one week for a grocery visit and the Rinker location for the following week’s grocery visit.  Or, a user may use the Orange location weekly for grocery visits and the Rinker location daily for snack visits.

When you visit a Panther Pantry location, pantry staff will ask to see your Chapman ID card to pull up your profile in our pantry management system. Once pantry staff verify your registration has been approved, you’ll be invited to shop for a grocery or snack visit.  Once you’ve collected all of your items, pantry staff will check you out as though you were at a grocery store.  This will help us maintain our inventory in real-time and understand trends in most- and least-needed items, which will help us meet pantry users needs as best as possible.

For snack visits, users will be limited to single-serve items.

For grocery visits, certain limits on popular or limited items will be in place (for example, a pantry user may only take one carton of eggs per grocery visit) to distribute access to those items as evenly as possible among pantry users. There are no overall limits on the total quantity of food a user may take during a grocery visit.  We ask all users to take only what is needed for a week’s worth of groceries for their household.

If you’re in class, at work, or otherwise regularly unavailable during pantry operating hours and still need support addressing a current period of food insecurity, please email Miguel Calderon (mcalderon@chapman.edu) in the Dean of Students Office to discuss alternative means of support available on and off campus.

All pantry users are able to access the Panther Pantry as long as they are currently enrolled/employed at Chapman University on the Orange or Rinker campus.  Once your enrollment/employment ends, your access will expire.

Although inventory changes frequently, the Panther Pantry typically has an assortment of:

• grains (cereal, pastas, noodles, rice, bread)
• fruits and vegetables (canned and sometimes fresh options)
• soups (vegetarian options available)
• microwaveable meals
• milk (boxed and fresh)
• snacks
• hygiene products

Each pantry location is stocked with a variety of food and hygiene products, but specific items change daily based on deliveries from Second Harvest Food Bank, inventory movement, and overall demand. If we’re out of a particular item you need:

1. Check the Second Harvest distribution list
   Second Harvest partners with over 300 food pantries across Orange County, many of which are near Chapman’s Orange and Rinker campuses.  You can use this link to find additional food distributions happening today or later this week.

2. If you have specific dietary or nutritional needs
   Please email Miguel Calderon (mcalderon@chapman.edu) in the Dean of Students Office. We can help you explore other resources, programs, or referrals that may better match your needs.

On the Orange Campus, the Morlan Hall kitchen is available to all students living in university housing.  To access the kitchen, visit the Residential Support Desk in the Henley Hall basement (next to the fitness center) to check out a Morlan kitchen keycard.  Please note the kitchen is equipped with a stovetop, oven, microwave, and sink.

On the Rinker Campus, a food prep space is located adjacent to the pantry location in the Campus Center.  The food prep space is equipped with refrigerators, microwaves, and a sink.

The Panther Pantry is funded through a combination of institutional budget and donations both large and small.  In 2023, the Panther Pantry was endowed through the generous $1.5 million gift made by Irv and Nancy Chase and Allan and Sandy Fainbarg.  The Second Harvest Food Bank of OC also supplies the Panther Pantry with weekly deliveries of food and hygiene products.

The Panther Pantry accepts limited donations of food and hygiene items that meet our safety, storage, and partnership guidelines. Donations help support Chapman students, staff, and faculty experiencing food insecurity.

Accepted Donations

All donated items must be new, unopened, and within their expiration or “Best By” date. 

Shelf-Stable Food Items

• Canned goods (vegetables, beans, soups, tuna, chicken, etc.) 

• Pasta, rice, quinoa, and other grains 

• Boxed meals and dry mixes 

• Nut butters and spreads 

• Cereal and oatmeal 

• Shelf-stable snacks (granola bars, crackers, cup noodles, popcorn, etc.) 

Beverages

• Shelf-stable milk alternatives (almond, oat, or soy milk) 

• Juice boxes and bottled juices (unopened)
  

Hygiene and Personal Care Items

• Toothpaste and toothbrushes 

• Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash 

• Deodorant 

• Feminine hygiene products 

• Toilet paper and paper towels
  

Items We Cannot Accept

To ensure food safety and compliance with pantry guidelines, we are unable to accept: 

• Opened or partially used items 

• Homemade or unpackaged food 

• Expired products 

• Perishable foods requiring refrigeration or freezing 

• Alcohol 

• Supplements
  

 

Organizing a Donation Drive 

If you are interested in organizing a food or hygiene drive, please contact pantry@chapman.edu before collecting or delivering items so we can confirm current pantry needs, storage capacity, and donation procedures. 
 

Monetary Donations 

Monetary donations help the Panther Pantry purchase high-demand food and hygiene items throughout the year. 

To make a monetary donation to the Panther Pantry, please click here. 

The Panther Pantry was launched on the Orange campus in 2013 by the Dean of Students Office in Student Affairs.  A group of dedicated Rinker campus faculty and staff volunteers launched and managed a second location in 2016 on our Rinker campus.  Student Affairs staff began managing both locations in 2023.