This holiday season with the generous contributions of UCR maintenance and custodial staff, Facilities Services was able to donate 6 bins full of food items and toiletries to the R'Pantry on campus. R'Pantry is the UC Riverside food pantry in response to student needs for resource and to improve their health well-being. Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or the ability to acquire such foods in a socially acceptable manner. UC studies have shown that across UC campuses, nearly 5% of UC students have experienced homelessness during their time as a student. At UCR, "27% of UCR students indicated that they often  (very often/often/somewhat often) 'skipped or cut the size of meals because there wasn't enough money for food,' (UC-wide: 23%) 

"This is really great. We should really do this all year round," stated Frances Rave, administrative assistant to Environmental & Resource Services. Initially, there were only two bins but those quickly filled by charitable staff members. To accommodate the growing donations, Facilities requested 4 more bins to distribute to additional locations around campus. Those bins were also filled whilst additional contributions continued to be delivered at the front desk. Facilities Services and all its staff continue to display how committed we are to the well-being of its students on campus.