Central Arizona College food pantries are reopening as students return to campuses. 

After a pause in activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, food pantry operations have resumed at each CAC campus library. Operation times are Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at each library. The food pantry is closed on Fridays and weekends. 

The pantry is open to CAC students and community members alike. Goods offered include nonperishable food, such as canned goods, cereal, and pasta. The pantry also offers personal hygiene products like deodorant, shampoo, and toothpaste. 

The pantries were opened in the Fall semester of 2019 in an attempt to combat food insecurity in Pinal County. In the spring of 2020, less than a year later, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the pantries to shut down when CAC services moved online. The remaining nonperishable food was passed out to local food pantries in Maricopa, Coolidge, Eloy, Mammoth, Casa Grande, and Apache Junction. The leftover toiletries were added to care packages for students living on campus. 

The Director of Library Services, Adriana Saavedra, stresses the informal atmosphere and encourages students to come to the food pantry for snacks. Saavedra said, “The library supplies books, but now we also supply food.” 

Donations can be made at any CAC campus library, and monetary donations can be made on the CAC website. The most requested items include foil tuna packets, granola bars, and pasta. 

For more information or to donate, visit http://www.centralaz.edu/food-pantry.