UMA welcomes students, faculty, and staff to a holiday potluck on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Fireside Lounge. The potluck is designed as a relaxed, welcoming moment for our community to reconnect and enjoy the season.

This year, we’re adding an optional way to support the Community Cupboard, Â鶹APP Augusta campus food pantry. You’re warmly invited to participate with or without bringing a dish, and donations are completely optional. If bringing food feels right for you, you may , or simply bring a dish the day of the event. Labeling common allergens such as nuts, dairy, or gluten is appreciated.

Donations may be made at any time, including after the event. . Your support helps the Cupboard provide essential items to students and community members. And .

The Office of Student Life has partnered with the Augusta Food Bank to provide free food items every week for UMA students, faculty, and staff!

When: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. — until the food is gone
Where: Randall Student Center, UMA Augusta Campus

You’ll often find great options like fresh produce, meats, bread, and desserts — all completely free!

Need a quick snack? A snack food cupboard is always open in the Randall Student Center lounge.

UMA also has food pantries in Bangor and Lewiston!

Â鶹APP Augusta campus is coming together to support our student-run food bank, the Community Cupboard, through a campus-wide food drive now through December 19, 2025.

The Community Cupboard provides essential food and personal care items to all members of our campus community, and your contributions make a direct difference.

Most-needed items include:

• Quick snacks
  Granola bars, instant oatmeal packets, small boxes of cereal, small bags of chips, microwave popcorn, peanut butter crackers, single-serving fruit cups.
• Drinks
  Juice boxes or shelf-stable single-serving milk cartons.
• Personal essentials
  Feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, soap, shaving supplies, shampoo.

All donations are welcome! Items the Community Cupboard cannot use will be passed along to the Augusta Food Bank to ensure nothing goes to waste.

Donation drop-off locations

• Jewett Hall – next to Room 167
• Jewett Hall – inside the Danforth Gallery
• Katz Building – Office of Academic Success, Room 28
• Randall Student Center – Office of Student Life

More ways to help

Make a cash donation – Cash gifts allow the Community Cupboard to buy high-need items in bulk at wholesale prices. Visit the Office of Student Life to donate.

Volunteer your time – Help with sorting, stocking, or distributing items. Volunteer support is always appreciated!

For questions or more information, contact 207.621.3442.

Let’s come together to support our campus community. Every contribution, big or small, helps keep the shelves stocked and our campus community supported!

At UMA, we are committed to supporting one another. If you are affected by this situation or if you would like to help, there are several ways to access and contribute to food assistance across our campuses and centers.

 
Food Assistance at UMA

UMA Food Pantries are open to all UMA students and employees.

Augusta Campus Pantry

Located in the Randall Student Center. Food resources are also available at the UMA Capital Center and at the dorms in Hallowell. Contact Rose Pelletier, Coordinator of Student Life, at rosep@maine.edu or 207-621-3442 for hours or assistance. Learn more.

UMA Community Cupboard: Free Food Every Tuesday
The Office of Student Life has partnered with the Augusta Food Bank to provide free food items every week for UMA students, faculty, and staff on Tuesdays from 11:30am until the food is gone. Find them in the Randall Student Center with great options like fresh produce, meats, bread, and desserts.

Bangor Campus Pantry

Located in Lewiston Hall. The pantry provides food and other essential items. Contact Joy Steward, Coordinator of Student Life, at joy.steward@maine.edu or 207-262-7912 for hours or assistance. Learn more.

Bangor: Eastport Hall Fridge/Freezer and Coffee Bar Cabinet

Located in Eastport Hall, this resource includes soups, milk, pasta, and canned goods available to students. If there’s something you or your family could use that isn’t available, contact Alissa Gervais, Coordinator of Student Life, at alissa.gervais@maine.edu or 207-262-7817.

Lewiston Center: Oakhurst Campus Food Pantry

Located inside the campus library, this pantry offers food, household, and personal items for members of the UMS community. Bring your UMS ID to access the pantry during normal library hours. For more information, contact Liz Bull at elizabeth.bull@maine.edu or Maureen Perry at mperry@maine.edu, or call 207-753-6540. Learn more.

Emergency Funds for Students

Students facing immediate financial hardship can apply for assistance using the . Limited emergency funds are available to help UMA students with unexpected needs. For questions or support, contact Crystal Woehrle-Logan, Administrative Specialist, at crystal.woehrle-logan@maine.edu or 207-621-3531.

Sodexo Swipe Out Hunger Program

UMA partners with Sodexo to fight student food insecurity through a Meal Swipe Bank. Students may self-nominate using the . Once approved, meals are loaded to their ID and can be redeemed simply by swiping at Moose Tracks Cafe in Augusta, and the Hungry Moose Cafe in Bangor.

Additionally, students may choose to work in the kitchen to receive either hourly pay or a meal plan equivalent. This program is designed to support non-residential students who may be struggling, while also helping address Sodexo’s current workforce shortage. We’ll work with students individually to determine which option best meets their needs. For more information, please contact Santiago Rave at santiago.rave@sodexo.com.

Upcoming Food Drives

Faculty and staff are also stepping forward to help. We are coordinating food drives on the Augusta and Bangor campuses. We will provide more details as they become available. If you have questions, contact Rose Pelletier, Coordinator of Student Life, at rosep@maine.edu or 207-621-3442.

 
Supporting One Another

At UMA, we are looking at all the ways our community can come together to support one another. This includes exploring opportunities for food donations, volunteer efforts, and other ways to strengthen the resources that help our students and employees. We will be in touch with more details as they become available.

Â鶹APP strength has always been our care for one another. Thank you for continuing to look out for your classmates, colleagues, and neighbors. Together, we can make sure that no one at UMA goes without support.

The Food for Thought Pantry, located in Lewiston Hall Room 116 on Â鶹APP Bangor Campus, is open to students, employees, and their families.

Fall 2025 hours are:

• Tuesdays 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
• Wednesdays 8:30–11 a.m.
• Thursdays 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m.

If you need a different time, call 262-7912 to arrange a visit.

Made possible through a partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank and generous donations from UCU, the pantry helps provide essential food support. Please bring your own reusable bags. When you arrive, we’ll only ask for the last four digits of your phone number to help us track the number of families we serve.

If you’d like to join the coalition or volunteer, contact Joy Steward at joy.steward@maine.edu.

A check in the amount of $1,000 was presented by Seth Poplaski, UCU Community Engagement Manager, to Jennifer Davis, UMA Dean of Students, Joy Steward, UMA Coordinator of Student Life, Aurelia Maietta, UMA Food Security Intern, and Kristie Hexter, UMA Administrative Support Specialist, for the Bangor Campus Food for Thought pantry.

The Augusta Campus check of $1,000 was presented to Kaylee Jones, Madison Riggs, and Rose Pelletier by Lauren Cornelio and Stephanie Beck, for its student-run campus food pantry, the Community Cupboard.

For the past seven years, UCU has raised funds for its Ending Hunger in Maine campaign to support local food pantries on campus and in local communities throughout the state. During this time, UCU has donated $12,716.44 to the UMA Augusta and UMA Bangor campus pantries in addition to other donations across Maine. For more information about UCU, visit .

The donations from UCU will allow the Community Cupboard and the Food For Thought pantry to supplement their offerings. Current supplies are obtained through SGA funds allocated to the Community Cupboard and in-kind and monetary donations to the Food for Thought pantry. The Food for Thought pantry additionally has a partnership with Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine and receives vegetables from the UMA Bangor Community Garden.

Individuals donated several boxes of nonperishable food and personal hygiene products. All proceeds went to the Saco Food Pantry. In addition to the food and personal hygiene products over $200 in cash was also donated.

Collection boxes were located at the Saco Center and Shaw’s Supermarket generously allowed students to collect in front of their store.

Additionally, the Center also received a $500 Personal Care Grant to purchase personal care items for families. Personal care items such as shampoo/conditioner, soap/body wash, deodorant, razors, moisturizers, menstrual products, toothpaste/toothbrushes, dental floss, diapers, and wipes for example.

Students can look to get these supplies sometime soon in the new year.