Rams Against Hunger

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Rams Against Hunger (RAH) Program Overview

Operating from The Office of Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLiCE), Rams Against Hunger offers a menu of services that support students, faculty and staff experiencing food insecurity. Services include a food pantry, a meal-swipe program, pocket pantries, and in-person assistance with navigating federal aid eligibility. This multi-pronged approach acknowledges the broad scope of the issue and seeks to normalize this difficult conversation for the individuals affected, as well as for the institution as a whole. Our hope in providing these services is to ensure that basic needs need not be overlooked at the expense of a degree. By reducing the stigma around food insecurity and meeting student, staff and faculty needs in a way that affirms dignity, we hope to live out the creed that Rams really do take care of Rams. 

To help address financial stress and food insecurity among our CSU community, Rams
Against Hunger is proud to offer our permanent food pantry on campus. 
  

    • Spring 2024 hours of operation are:
      • Monday: 3:00 – 6:00 pm
      • Tuesday: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
      • Wednesdays: 3:00 – 6:00 pm
      • Thursdays: 3:00 – 6:00 pm
      • Fridays: CLOSED

Additional resources are available through our partners at the Food Bank of Larimer County.
All members of our community (students, staff and faculty) may access the RAH
Food Pantry. We look forward to seeing you in our brand-new location at the CSU
General Services Building (1251 Mason Street).
 

Please bring your CSU ID card and bags! 

In partnership with ASCSU, Rams Against Hunger offers a limited selection of food items to all members of the Ram community at the following Pocket Pantry locations:

ALL LSC POCKET PANTRY LOCATIONS WILL BE CLOSED OVER WINTER BREAK DUE TO LSC BUILDING CLOSURES (ASCSU + BOTH SDPS LOCATIONS)

  • Lory Student Center- level 200 – ASCSU Plaza-side entrance
    Please “swipe” your CSU ID to enter the Pocket Pantry doors
  • University Housing – Aggie Village Family Apartments
    Aggie Village Family Center – 501 West Prospect St, Building 24
  • University Housing – University Village Center Apartments
    1600 West Plum, Building 24.
  • Student Diversity Programs and Services (SDPS) Kitchens
    Lory Student Center, Levels 200 & 300
  • Fostering Success/Student Achievement
    Stadium, Collaborative for student Success, access through lobby
  • CSU Mental Health Services
    3rd Floor, CSU Health Network
  • Adult Learner and Veteran Services 
    Lory Student Center
 

This program allows eligible students to apply for 30- 50 meal swipes, which can be utilized at any CSU dining hall.

The application opens on March 1st, 2024 at 8:00 am. We will accept applications on a rolling basis, until we reach our funding limit. We encourage folks to apply right away!

How it works

  • Students apply for dining hall meals via the application link on March 1st, 2024 at 8am MST.
  • The priority application period will open 3/1/24 at 8:00am and will end on 3/10/24 at 5:00pm or when a maximum number of applications are received.
  • Applications are evaluated by Rams Against Hunger and CSU’s Office of Financial Aid. Eligibility for the program is outlined below in the “Criteria and Selection” section.
  • Applicants will be notified of their selection over summer break!
  • Applicants may apply for either 30 or 50 meals on their RamCard for use at any CSU Dining Hall for the duration of the semester. If an applicant is allocated swipes mid-semester, the number of meals they receive will be pro-rated.
  • Recipients can swipe their RamCard at any CSU dining hall. Hours and locations of CSU dining centers can be found here.
  • Recipients may reapply each semester.

Who’s eligible

  • All full-time students (graduate and undergraduate) enrolled at Colorado State University.

Criteria

  • Must have a valid RamCard (can be obtained at RamCard Office).
  • Must not currently have a meal plan at CSU Residential Dining Centers.
  • Selection Process:                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Applicants’ financial situation will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or CSU ASSET Bill Institutional Aid Application.
  • Where no EFC is available, other means of financial assessment, including application responses will be taken into consideration
  • Students with the highest level of demonstrated need (Tier I – or an EFC of $10,000 or less) will be given priority based on the order of applications received.
  • Students with the next highest level of need (Tier II – EFC of $10,001 – $17,000) will be reviewed and served based on the order of applications received.
  • Students with an EFC of $17,000 or over will not be eligible except under extenuating circumstances. For more information, email the Basic Needs Manager or call (970) 219-7165.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

In collaboration with RamRide, we offer a delivery service for on- and off-campus students, faculty, and staff who are unable to come to the Pantry in person. RamRide Food Ops makes deliveries every Friday from 2:30 – 4:00 pm.

NOTE: RamRide Food Ops is designed for students, faculty, and staff who cannot come to, or transport food home from, the Rams Against Hunger Food Pantry. This is a limited service and we ask that only individuals who meet these requirements fill out the application. Thank you for your cooperation.
Click the link below to fill out the application: 
https://ramride.colostate.edu/food-ops-request-a-box/#

Rams Against Hunger: Day of Giving (Meal Swipe Program): SLiCE is collaborating with Housing and Dining Services to combat food insecurity via the CSU Dining Halls!  During lunch and dinner, students who currently have meal passes can donate up to 2 of their unused guest passes to support this program. Volunteers are near the meal swipe stations at the entrances of each dining hall to encourage people to swipe two times to donate two meals, if able/interested.  It is an easy (and fun) volunteer opportunity with great significant impact. SLiCE hopes to have 60 volunteers, divided between 6 different dining hall locations. Day of Giving volunteer shifts occur between 11:00AM – 2:00PM and 5:00PM – 8:00PM.

What is SNAP?

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, can help eligible low-income families and individuals stretch their food budget! SNAP provides monthly supplemental income for food purchases for about 1 in 10 Coloradoans, including hard-working families, children, students, seniors, veterans and those who are disabled.

SNAP is a federal entitlement program, which means that granting one individual benefits will not take away from others who are eligible. If you and your family are in need, consider applying!

UPDATE: If you’ve been considering applying for SNAP benefits, now is the time! Changes are coming in January of 2023. Sign up now before the Federal Pandemic Health Emergency comes to an end – more information here.

Student Eligibility Guidelines:

You might qualify for SNAP if you meet any of the following criteria:

    • Work 80 hours/month or participate in work-study (or experienced loss of income due to COVID-19)
    • Are a Parent or Caregiver
    • Receive TANF Benefits
    • Have a Disability that Makes Working Challenging
    • Participate in a Workforce Development Program

Colorado State University is available to help you apply for SNAP remotely! For more information and to complete an eligibility screening and application, contact SNAP4Rams@colostate.edu. Or you can call us at (970) 491-8051. We are here to answer your question and help you navigate the benefit process.

Students (18-49) attending college at least half-time* may be eligible by income guidelines and one of the above additional criteria

Students attending college less than half-time* and those age 50+ do not need to meet additional student criteria (only income)

Factors that may impact eligibility:

  • If your meal plan pays for more than half of your meals per week, you are not eligible for SNAP
  • If you are under the age of 22 and living with parent or guardians, you must apply for SNAP as part of their household.
  • If you are on a break from school, you must still meet the criteria that make you eligible for SNA
  • If you are receiving benefits through the VA or private scholarships, they may count for income.

How does it work?

You must apply for SNAP in the state where you currently live.  You apply for SNAP as part of a “household”.  A household consists of everyone who lives together and purchases and prepares meals together.

An eligible household will receive an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which works like a debit card.  Benefits are automatically loaded into your account each month.   If your state agency determines that you are eligible, you will receive benefits back to the date you submitted your application.

In most cases, your state agency or local office will process your application within 7 – 30 days.  During the 30 days, you may need to complete an eligibility interview and provide verification of the information provided on the application.

Ram Food Recovery is a program that supports CSU students and employees experiencing food insecurity by sending text alerts for food leftover from catered events within Housing & Dining Services. If a catered event has any food leftover at the end of the
event, catering staff send a text alert to subscribers with date, time, and location of food pick-up. Participants generally have a 30 minute window for food pick-up. 

Anyone with a CSU ID is welcome to sign up for text alerts for these meals. As catering returns to campus on a limited basis this summer, we will have a few events and we hope to have the program fully return in the fall.

Please visit https://ramfoodrecovery.colostate.edu/ to apply!

Recent data tells us that 3 in 10 students at CSU have experienced food insecurity.  Their stories are often silent.

Rams Against Hunger programs exist to alleviate food insecurity in ways that affirm dignity and strengthen our community… but we can’t do it without you. Donating $9.00 provides the cost of a nutritious meal from one of our dining centers through the RAH Meal Swipe Program.  $540 offers that student four such meals each week, ensuring that they can focus on their studies without having to worry about where the next meal will come from. Your support means that food-insecure students have the resources to win against hunger, focus on their educations, and succeed in college, despite the odds.

Donate to Rams Against Hunger today.

Donate Today

Additional information and resources can be found on You@CSU.

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