UH’s Cougar Cupboard Celebrates New Home, Larger Community Impact

In January 2020, when the Cougar Cupboard first opened its doors in response to rising levels of food insecurity at the University of Houston, it didn’t take long before program manager Jessica Haney knew they would soon need a bigger space.

“We started off in the Wellness Center break room and within three months we had already outgrown it,” says Haney. “We went from a few hundred visits per semester to a few thousand visits and gradually took over some offices, but we just couldn’t expand that space any further.”

In fact, the cupboard saw a 1900% increase in usage from Fall 2020 to Spring 2023, which triggered a campus-wide search last summer for a new, larger space. Nearly a year later, the Cougar Cupboard is opening the doors to its new home in University Lofts.

“Our new location allows us to accept more people into the space at one time, increasing accessibility while decreasing wait times,” Haney says. “It also allows us to store nearly twice as much food as we could before, providing more support to students and their families.”

A cupboard user shops for groceries and student worker Pia Cortes weighs a basket as they check out.

Cougar Cupboard student worker Iliana Solheim checks in a cupboard user at the new University Lofts location.

Meeting the Growing Demand

Since its founding four years ago, Cougar Cupboard has become an essential resource for thousands of UH students who struggle with food insecurity, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as “the lack of consistent access to enough food for a healthy, active life.”

“Cougar Cupboard is not just about providing food, it’s about nourishing hope, fostering resilience and empowering students,” says Paul Kittle, vice president for student affairs at UH. “This program exemplifies our commitment to providing an environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed and shows the profound impact we can achieve when a community comes together.”

Cougar Cupboard estimates around 15,000 UH students could be experiencing food insecurity, which can range from living in debt to frequently skipping meals.

“It becomes a safe zone for us when we need extra food,” says one student who received assistance from the cupboard. “We know that there’s always something for us when we need help.”

Food insecurity among college students is a growing concern on campuses across the nation. The latest National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) released last year provided the first national statistics on the issue: 23% of undergraduates and 12% of graduate students nationwide are experiencing food insecurity. That equates to nearly 4 million undergraduate students in the U.S. who are experiencing food insecurity at any given time, a rate that is more than double that of the average U.S. household. There are currently more than 700 food pantries on campuses across the country trying to meet the growing demand for assistance.

The cupboard temporarily closed its physical space last summer. In the interim, the Center for Student Advocacy and Community (CSAC) hosted food distributions every Friday outside the Student Center South and continued to support the secondary food pantry, Cougar Cupboard 2: Operated by PEEPS. During construction, Cougar Cupboard received about 300 visits per week. But that number is expected to surpass 800 per week once the new space opens.

In its four-year history, the Cougar Cupboard has reported more than 7,400 registrations, 40,000 visits and distributed over 600,000 pounds of food. Registered students can visit the cupboard once each week and receive up to 30 pounds of food per visit.

Success Stories

While the Cougar Cupboard can share plenty of data on its efforts, the impact is immeasurable.

“I am a better man, student and father because of the Cougar Cupboard,” says one student. “My first bag literally changed my life,” says another.

And Haney is looking forward to continued success.

“This is the culmination of many people’s efforts, and we’re thankful to the students for being patient with us during this transition,” Haney says. “I hope they know they can rely on us. We’re open for business again, and we’re here for them.”

“I am a better man, student and father because of the Cougar Cupboard.”
- UH student and cupboard user

“My first bag literally changed my life.”

Getting Involved

The Cougar Cupboard, presented by TDECU, is a community partner of the Houston Food Bank and when students register to use the cupboard, they also sign up for the Houston Food Bank's Food for Change (FFC) network which gives them access to most other FFC markets in the Houston area. Because of the generous financial support from individual donors and corporate sponsors such as the American Heart Association and Baytex Energy, the cupboard is available free of charge and without any requirements to all currently enrolled UH students.

Click here to register for Cougar Cupboard.

The Cougar Cupboard also provides volunteer opportunities, with an average of 60 volunteers per month ranging from students who want to give back to the community and student organizations inspired by the cupboard’s mission to community members and partners passionate about helping students.

Click here for volunteer opportunities at Cougar Cupboard.

Student worker Lordina Yeboah restocks shelves after a shipment from Houston Food Bank.