Whether you’re stretching your budget, working long hours, or simply need one fewer stop, the UMB Pantry is here for all students and employees. Learn more and get involved.
Did you know that the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Pantry is available to all UMB students and employees?
During a recent tabling event, pantry employees discovered that many members of our community didn't know the pantry existed or assumed it was only intended for individuals experiencing financial hardship. While supporting community members facing food insecurity remains an important part of our mission, the pantry serves a much broader purpose. It is a resource designed to make life a little easier, healthier, and more convenient for everyone on campus.
Located on the third floor of the SMC Campus Center, the pantry offers food and essential items through both in-person shopping and convenient online ordering with locker pickup.
The Pantry Is About More Than Financial Need
Food insecurity is more than hunger. It occurs when someone does not have consistent, reliable access to the food they need to support their health, well-being, and daily responsibilities. While financial challenges are often a factor, access to food can also be impacted by demanding schedules, transportation barriers, caregiving responsibilities, unexpected expenses, or simply not having enough time in the day.
As a health and human services campus, UMB understands that supporting well-being means addressing more than emergencies. Life gets busy. Clinical schedules run long. Classes and meetings stack up. Workdays do not always end when the grocery store is still open.
In Baltimore, many nearby grocery stores close by 9 p.m. For students and employees spending long days on campus, having access to food and essential items before heading home can make a real difference. Sometimes one less stop is the difference between getting home in time for a good night's rest or having to make yet another errand before the day is done.
There are many reasons someone might use the pantry:
- You're on campus late and need a meal or snack.
- You're balancing classes, work, clinical rotations, research, or family responsibilities.
- You forgot your lunch or need something to get through the day.
- You're trying to stretch your grocery budget.
- You're navigating a period of financial uncertainty.
- You simply appreciate the convenience of picking up essentials while already on campus.
The pantry is here for all of those situations and more.
A Quick Lunch That Changed My Mind
At a recent pantry pop-up at the School of Nursing, the pantry offered chicken Alfredo meal kits along with a variety of quick snacks.
When I first saw the packaged chicken, I wasn't particularly excited. But after giving it a chance, I was pleasantly surprised. Two minutes in the microwave, a little pepper, the Alfredo sauce mix, and suddenly I had a quick, office-friendly, high-protein lunch that was both convenient and satisfying.
It was a great reminder that pantry items do not have to be fancy to be helpful. For busy students and employees, having access to simple, nutritious meal options can make a real difference. When schedules are packed, quick sources of protein and balanced nutrition help keep us energized, focused, and ready for whatever the day brings.
Sometimes the pantry is not just about meeting a financial need. Sometimes it is about making healthy choices easier, reducing stress, saving time, and supporting well-being in practical, everyday ways.
Visit the Pantry
Location: SMC Campus Center, Third Floor
Services Available:
- Online ordering
- Locker pickup
- Pop-up pantry events across campus
Learn more at the Student Pantry website.
The UMB Pantry is here for all of us. Whether you're looking for a quick meal between commitments, trying to save time during a busy week, stretching your budget a little further, or seeking support during a challenging season, you're welcome here.
As economic conditions continue to evolve, many of us can benefit from a little extra support and convenience. The pantry is one of the ways we care for one another as a community.
Help Us Make the Pantry Better
We want the pantry to reflect the needs of our campus community.
What foods, snacks, meal kits, or household essentials would be most helpful to you? We welcome your ideas and feedback. If there is something that would make this resource more useful for your lifestyle, schedule, or dietary needs, we'd love to hear from you. Check out what the pantry currently has available.
For questions, suggestions, or to learn more, please contact dl-ssle@umaryland.edu.
Support the Pantry Through Donations
The pantry is made possible through the generosity of donors and supporters across our community. Every contribution helps ensure that students and employees have access to food and essential items when they need them.
Whether you choose to make a financial gift, host a donation drive, or simply spread the word, your support helps strengthen this resource for the entire UMB community.
Take what you need. Give if you can. And help us spread the word that this resource is available to every UMB student and employee.