The Fresno State Student Cupboard is now open on Saturdays in case students are unable to visit due to classes.

The cupboard is a free resource for students who need a quick bite to eat or need grocery store items such as milk, canned goods, vegetables and more.

Located in Room 104 of the Industrial Tech Building, it provides an essential service for students with food insecurity and students who don’t want to pay for other on-campus food options.

Claudia Lopez, 33, a student staff member at the cupboard, said, “People ask if we’re open on weekends or even after hours because some people come in at night for their night classes and aren’t able to come, so that’s what kind of led to this pilot.”

After receiving feedback from students, the cupboard now has new operating hours on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This makes the supplies more accessible to students and is ultimately more accommodating to those with busy schedules, financial obstacles or hungry students who need a snack between classes.

The Amendola Student Cupboard has been around since 2014 and is a crucial support to the Fresno State community. Its goal is to stock students’ pantries and support those who struggle with budgeting. “It helps meet that gap that financial aid may be short,” Lopez said.

Jose Escobar, 21, a student staff member, explains how the cupboard promotes having diversity in meals when students usually just consume fast food, which is a common issue on campus.

“Fast food options are easy and cheap, which appeases the average college student,” Escobar added. However, the cupboard helps combat the stigma that all healthy food must be expensive and inaccessible.

Upon entering the cupboard, you see numerous food options ranging from oranges to instant ramen to frozen foods. There are multiple options labeled with healthy food signs, tons of canned food and snacks for a little pick me up throughout the day.

All food and supplies are free with the only qualification being that you are enrolled in at least one-unit course for the semester.

“The cupboard is lifesaving. I grab a snack before the gym or dinner after my late classes,” said Victor Rivera, a Fresno State student majoring in civil engineering.

Lopez and Escobar said the cupboard receives its stock from the Central California Food Bank, community members’ pantries and even fraternities and sororities.

The cupboard is mostly run by student staff and volunteers who help stock shelves before opening.

The purpose of the cupboard is to assist students in any way it can. Therefore, the staff prioritizes students’ opinions. The cupboard also hosts student outreach events with the Student Health Center called “Wellness Wednesdays” where they hand out fresh fruit and educate students on CalFresh.

These events are held in front of The Bucket and are used to influence more people to take advantage of the cupboard and all it provides.

An additional feature of the student cupboard is the monthly hygiene days held on the first and third of the month. They provide basic hygiene necessities to all, such as deodorants, toothbrushes, condoms and feminine hygiene products.

The student cupboard is a resource that aims to benefit Fresno State students. It is catered toward students and is an accessible resource to all, its supporters say.

“This is definitely something I wish I knew about sooner,” Rivera says.