Craig Riemer ’73 has witnessed the effects food insecurity can have on college students.

“Years ago, I was giving a group of prelaw students a tour of Riverside County’s historic courthouse,” the judge of the Superior Court for Riverside County recalled. “During the tour, I noticed that one of the students was sitting down every chance he got. I later found out that he had not eaten anything all day and was afraid that he might pass out.”

That interaction led Riemer to become a supporter of the Basic Needs R’Pantry. Established in 2015, the program operated by the Basic Needs Department provides food and other necessities to UC Riverside students in need.

“I had been aware that the expense of attending UCR today is far, far different than it was when I was here in 1973-1977 but seeing this young man who was too weak from hunger to stand really brought that fact home to me,” Riemer said. “I have been supporting R’Pantry ever since.”

The need for a program like Basic Needs R’Pantry, and support from donors like Riemer, is great at UCR. In fall 2023, 51% of UCR undergraduate students and 46% of UCR graduate students reported experiencing food insecurity, according to the UC Systemwide Basic Needs Survey.

These statistics are reinforced by the number of visits Basic Needs R’Pantry receives. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the program recorded 12,928 visits a 68% increase from the previous year, according to Remi Rodriguez, Basic Needs R’Pantry coordinator.

“I see the impact that we are making every day when we have a long line out the door waiting to get in; the fact that students who already have so much going on spare the time to get in line says everything to me,” said Mariela L. Barocio, Basic Needs R’Pantry student intern lead and junior education, society, and human development major. “The service we provide is a basic necessity and I'm so glad that we are able to take one worry off the plates of students.”

To address this demand, Basic Needs R’Pantry is operated at three locations on the UCR campus. Currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students can visit once a week to shop for various food items such as dry goods, vegetables, fruits, and canned goods, as well as baby products, household items, and hygiene products using points (15 points for all students, plus 5 additional points for student parents, and 3 additional points given to students who bring their own bag).

The Basic Needs team is always on the lookout for ways to expand service, from finding a larger home to acquiring equipment like commercial freezers. While the program does receive funding from the state and campus, donations are essential to both current operations and future growth.

“This year in particular, the pantry seems to have grown immensely in popularity, and we are being cleared out almost every week,” Barocio said. “There are weeks where we are forced to spend above purchasing budget just to be able to provide the basic components of a meal for all students coming in. Donor support is so important because it allows us to have the capability to fully serve the hundreds of students who are coming into the pantry who often do not know where their next meal is coming from.”

Mona Lisa Stallworth ’05 faced insecurity while earning her degree in sociology and administrative studies as single parent and returning student with a disability. That personal experience inspired her to become a Basic Needs R’Pantry supporter.

“When it comes to food and learning I always remind myself, ‘it is difficult for a hungry child to learn when the rumbling of their stomach is louder than the teacher's voice,’” the author said. “I never want to say I didn't try to do something so that a student could hear and learn. I give what I can to help others succeed and not feel abandoned or not cared about.”