With the support of faculty and staff volunteers, the Tiger Cupboard food pantry provides short-term emergency help to those who struggle with food insecurity.  Those needing our assistance receive supplemental food and other necessities that promote “healthy lifestyle choices”. Also, the Cupboard provides connections to community resources supporting academic success.

Who can receive food?

The food pantry is open to any currently enrolled Chattanooga State Community College student, faculty or staff employee who completes a short request form.

How to Make a Request:

Pick Up Times & Location

Other appointment times are available upon request during fall, spring break, during the summer months and evenings by contacting the Student Support Center, IMC 124, or by calling: 423-697-4483.

Fresh Vegetables are available on a first come first serve basis as available from the Campus Garden.

How to volunteer:

The Tiger Cupboard would not work without the many faculty, staff and student volunteers that help to serve those experiencing food insecurity. In an effort to minimize any perceived stigma for the users of the pantry, we prefer to not have student volunteers for face to face daily operations of the pantry. However, we have many opportunities for students to volunteer, such as food collection days, sort and organize, etc. in the afternoons following the daily operating hours. Faculty and staff employee volunteers will be in the Tiger Cupboard to assist any "walk-ins", as well as preparing food boxes for those who have submitted a request ahead of time during the daily operating hours. Email: Tammy.McDonough@chattanoogastate.edu if you are interested in volunteering.

If you need more help:

Donate Money

Please choose Community Market (Tiger Cupboard food pantry) from the drop-down menu:

• If you are a Chattanooga State Community College employee: https://foundation.chattanoogastate.edu/donation-form/index.html
• If you are a community member please use the following link: https://55232.thankyou4caring.org/

Donate Food

The Tiger Cupboard has many donation days and campaigns throughout the year, with our biggest event at the Chattanooga State Employee Appreciation luncheon held every December. You can help the Tiger Cupboard food pantry by donating the following items: 

Rice, pasta, pasta sauce, dry beans, pancake mix, vegetable oil, sugar, canned fruit, canned/pkt tuna, canned soup, boxed cereal, boxed oatmeal, canned chili, Vienna sausages, peanut butter, jelly, Cup-O-Soup, fruit/apple sauce cups, granola bars, snack cracker packages, non-refrigerated drinks (apple juice and juice boxes). This is a list of suggestions any and all items will be received in the Tiger Cupboard.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate industrial-sized donations and prefer no glass. Also please make sure the items are not dented and have the latest expiration date as possible.

Bring food donations to the Tiger Cupboard located in the Student Center on the second floor in S-215.

If you are interested in sponsoring a food drive please contact: Tammy.McDonough@chattanoogastate.edu  at least a week prior to collection.

About Student Hunger

THE NEED 

A 2016 study of community college students found that 22% "cut the size of their meals or skipped meals and were hungry because they didn't have enough money for food."

"Hunger has a large impact on learning and college retention. For one, there is the obvious physical problem that an empty stomach makes it hard to learn in class. For another, it may force students to make decisions that interfere with completion. They might work longer hours at their jobs or take long breaks from their studies to earn the money needed to buy dinner, for example. These decisions make it harder for students to get to graduation day in a reasonable timeframe." (http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/01/the-hidden-hunger-on-college-campuses/424047/)

A 2016 study of California State University students found 21 to 24 percent of students go hungry. (https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/07/06/csus-j06.html)

THE RESPONSE

The Tiger Cupboard food pantry was created in March 2018 to address food insecurity among ChSCC students, to increase awareness of hunger and poverty issues among the ChSCC community, and to provide food, hygiene supplies, and provide poverty alleviation-related information to students in need.  

More About Hunger Among College Students

Contact