CAT-5 Cupboard: The North Harris Food Pantry
HOURS: Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
LOCATION: Academic Building, Room 102
Inside the Student Resource Center (SRC)
MORE INFORMATION:
Email NH-Cat5Cupboard@lonestar.edu,
Instagram: @cat5_cares
Visit us to take home a bag of groceries (1 bag per student per week) or just grab a snack or quick meal from the hot food station.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What can I get at the CAT-5 Cupboard?
- What's in a pre-packed grocery bag?
- Where else can I get a bag of groceries?
- What does it cost?
- What do I need to bring and what should I expect?
- What other resources are in the Student Resource Center?
- Can faculty and staff use the CAT-5 Cupboard resources?
- How can I donate?
- What should I donate?
- What are other resources available to students?
What you can get at the CAT-5 Cupboard
- A bag of groceries, small or large. One per student per week.
- A quick snack, like a granola bar or crackers
- A quick hot meal, like EasyMac or Ramen
What's in a pre-packed grocery bag
We keep two sizes of pre-packed grocery bags, Small (left) and Large (right). Some items will change some as we have new items come in, but in general you can expect:
| Food Item | Quantity in Small Bag | Quantity in Large bag |
|---|---|---|
| Canned Vegetables | 1 | 2 |
| Canned Meat/Pasta | 1 | 2 |
| Tuna | 1 | 1 |
| Rice | 1 | 2 |
| Cereal | 1 | 2 |
| Lentils/Beans | 1 | 2 |
| Oats | 1 | 1 |
| Oatmeal Packets | 4 | 6 |
| Mac & Cheese cups | - | - |
| Mac & Cheese boxes | 1 | 2 |
| Ramen Cups | - | - |
| Ramen Packs | 1 | 2 |
| Juice Boxes | 1 | 1 |
| Fruit Cups/Applesauce | 2 | 3 |
| Nutrigrain bars | 1 | 2 |
| Crackers | 1 | 2 |
| Granola Bars | 1 | 2 |
| Fruit Snacks | 1 | 2 |
| Goldfish | 1 | 2 |
Students may also build their own bag of no more than ten (10) items.
Other places on campus with groceries and snacks
We partner with other spots on campus to make it as easy as possible to get the food resources. We distribute grocery bags, snacks, and menstrual products to different locations on campus. You can also visit:
- The Welcome Center in the Student Services Building for grocery bags
- 2nd Floor of the Library for groceries, snacks, and bathrooms stocked with menstrual products
- Gym for groceries
- Communities in Schools (in the Learning Center) for groceries and bathrooms stocked with menstrual products
- The unisex bathrooms in the Academic Building (across from A107) for bathrooms stocked with menstrual products
Cost
Nothing! The groceries and snacks at the CAT-5 Cupboard are a free resource for students. We just ask that everyone take what they need and make sure to leave enough for others.
What to bring and what to expect
Bring your LSC ID card! You'll need to sign-in with your LSC ID number and show your ID at the SRC front counter.
When you walk in, someone will tell you about what's available and help you access grocery bags, snacks, or other resources. You'll just need to sign in and note what you're taking so that we can maintain our inventory.
Other resources in the Student Resource Center
- Lactation Room with mini-fridge for anyone nursing
- Be.A.R (Be A Resource) Shop with resources for kids and families
- Care Closet with Career Clothes (take one outfit per week)
- Toiletries like shampoo, deoderant, and menstrual products
- School supplies
Resources for faculty and staff
Faculty and staff can get grocery bags and snacks from the CAT-5 Cupboard and also use other resources in the SRC. Bring LSC ID to sign in. Staff in the SRC -- most likely student workers -- will help.
How to donate
Donate Food
Bring non-perishable food donations to the CAT-5 Cupboard (102 in the Academic Building) or find bins around campus where you can donate. Bin locations:
- 2nd floor Student Services Building outside the TRIO offices
- 3rd floor Library, by the front desk
Donate Money
- Payroll Deductions: Employees of LSC can donate money through a paycheck deduction. Under the "Employee" tile, select "Payroll," then "Voluntary Deductions." On the drop-down menu, select NH-Food Pantry.
- Foundation Donations: Donate money through the LSC Foundation by visiting their Donate Online page. Select "Donate to College Programs." Leave the dropdown menu on the default selection (Unrestricted Donations), but note in the Additional Comments box that you want to donate to the North Harris Food Pantry.
Amazon Wishlist
Visit our Amazon Wishlist to buy items we've marked as needed. Items can be shipped to
North Harris Student Resource Center
2700 W W Thorne Dr.
Academic Building 102
Houston, TX 77073
Our most-needed items for donation
Donations of cash are very useful as they allow us to purchase what we most need. Donated food items should be at least a month away from the expiration date, and we especially appreciate items from our most-needed list, which tend to run low the quickest. Some items, like 1-2lb bags of beans and rice, are hard for us to buy in bulk, and others stock our hot foods and snacks station in addition to going in grocery bags, so they run out quickly:
| Single-Serving Foods | Packaged Foods | Toiletries |
|---|---|---|
| Ramen cups | 1-2lb bags of dried beans | Menstrual pads (all sizes) |
| Microwaveable mac & cheese cups | 1-2lb bags of rice | Tampons (all sizes) |
| Fruit cups & Applesauce cups | Canned tuna & chicken | Panty liners |
| Cereal cups | Ramen packets | Toothbrushes |
| Microwavable instant oatmeal cups | Easy Mac & boxed meals | Toothpaste |
| Microwavable pasta/ravioli cups | Instant oatmeal | Soap |
| Shelf-stable boxes of milk | Mini cereal boxes | Lotion |
| Granola bars & snacks | Single-serving drinks | Shampoo |
| Crackers, Goldfish, & chips | Canned meals | Conditioner |
| Fruitsnacks | Fruit cups | Body Wash |
| Paper plates & bowls | Baby Food | Small packs of Bandaids |
| Plasticware | Baby formula | Travel-size sunscreens |
| Napkins & papertowels | Travel-sizes of all products |