A steady line of students filled the area outside Fresno State's Amendola Family Student Cupboard during Monday's lunch rush, with students stopping by to pick up free food.
Student employee Kyla Elliott said demand begins before the pantry opens.
"We open at 11; a line starts forming at 10 AM. It's wrapped around the building," Elliott said.
"I think it speaks to the need. I think it definitely speaks to the need," she added.
The pantry, which serves students looking for a quick snack between classes or groceries to take home, is one of the largest in the California State University system. According to pantry coordinator Michael Ballin, the facility sees about 10,000 visits each month, and demand continues to grow.
"We go through a lot of meat, a lot of milk, and a lot of produce. It goes by very fast. We see about 15 to 20 pallets of food a week that's being distributed through this place," Ballin said.
While the cupboard receives some funding from Fresno State, it also relies on donations. The Big Fresno Fair will host its second Fill the Need Day on Oct. 15, with half of each ticket sold benefiting the pantry.
Last year's event raised about $55,000, which was translated into about 220,000 meals for students. This year, pantry leaders plan to use the funding to create satellite pantries across campus and purchase a new refrigerator to store popular perishable items, including eggs.
"This gets filled up, and it takes about a day and a half for it to go empty," Ballin said.
In addition to providing food, the cupboard helps students sign up for CalFresh benefits and offers job and volunteer opportunities, including for students with disabilities.
Students say the pantry reduces financial strain and lets them focus on their education.
"School supplies, rent, gas, all kinds of things," Fresno State senior Jacob May said.
"This pantry is vitally important to the students, the students that are struggling a lot," May said.
The pantry continues to serve thousands of students each month as organizers seek additional support through donations and community fundraising efforts.
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