The Red Dragon Food Pantry was created to help battle food insecurity by giving all SUNY Oneonta students and employees free access to nonperishable food, basic needs items and fresh produce.
The full-service pantry is operated by the Office of Student Care and located on the bottom floor of the Hunt Union in room 6B. It is open Monday through Friday, with different hours each day.
“There is a plethora of evidence that if a student is lacking in nutrition and doesn’t have enough to eat, it has a direct impact on their mental and physical wellbeing. And we have direct evidence that intervention makes a difference. This food pantry will, without question, positively impact student lives.” - President Alberto Cardelle
Location
Visit us in Hunt Union 6B
Donations can be brought to the food shelf at the Hunt Union (bottom floor) or Netzer lobby cabinet.
Hours
Closed May 20 - June 3
Summer hours starting Monday June 3
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1 - 4 p.m.
Contact
For more information, email pantry@oneonta.edu.
When using the food pantry, please sign in with your initials and household size in order to help us track data for funding purposes. The pantry uses a color-coded system that describes the amount of food you can take in one visit, so look for these fliers and please follow the system.
The food pantry is made possible thanks to several campus and community partners. Its shelves are replenished on a regular basis with food from The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, and a partnership with Unadilla Community Farm – a nonprofit that grows crops solely for food pantry donations – allows for fresh produce deliveries each week during their growing season (May through October).
Oneonta business Vêsucré, which makes plant-based frozen treats, developed a special protein-packed breakfast cup, called “The Dragon Cup” for students to take and eat on the go. You can find it in the pantry refrigerator. The Food and Nutrition Association club helps provide education, offering monthly recipe cards based on items in the pantry, holding food drives and more.
Student hunger and food insecurity are persistent challenges on campuses across the country. Findings from the National Center for Education Statistics reveal that 22 percent of undergraduate students experienced food insecurity—over double the rate of U.S. households.
At SUNY Oneonta, a spring 2023 American College Health Association survey conducted by the Health and Wellness Center showed that 55.8 percent of students reported low or very low food security. Approximately 11 percent of Student Emergency Fund grants were awarded because of food insecurity.
The creation of SUNY Oneonta’s pantry was part of a statewide effort to battle food insecurity. In September 2023, SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. announced $1 million in funding to provide sustainable financial assistance for SUNY campus food pantries.
We are accepting donations of: Snack items (such as granola bars, chips, protein bars, applesauce etc), shelf-stable items including pasta, cereal, plant-based milk, or shelf stable dairy milk, and hygiene; and basic needs items including feminine products, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and laundry detergent pods.
Donations can be dropped off in person at the former Food Shelf on the bottom floor of the Hunt Union or Netzer Lobby cabinet or purchased online and shipped to:
Attn: Hunt Union 6B- Food Pantry
SUNY Oneonta
108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820