UC’s campus food pantry expands its reach to Teachers-Dyer Complex
Since opening its first location in a French Hall West storage closet, the Bearcats Pantry – known today as the BCP and Resource Center – has provided an ever-expanding suite of services to Bearcats with food and other insecurities. Since its launch, the BCP has been a critical resource for UC students to receive free food, hygiene items and clothing for students in need.
The vision of the BCP has broadened over the years to ensure all students can access food and other necessities no matter their location on campus. In 2023, a satellite market on the ground floor of the Health Sciences Building was opened.
This winter, a second BCP satellite market was opened in the Teachers-Dyer Complex (TDC), home of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology (CECH). This expansion, spearheaded by CECH’s Student Success Center, aims to enhance access to essential food, hygiene products and professional clothing for students. Laura Carnaghi, CECH associate director of the center, emphasized the significance of this expansion for supporting students’ needs. "The satellite location serves as a vital resource to meet the needs of students,” Carnaghi said. “By establishing this satellite location, CECH increases accessibility to crucial support and helps reduce barriers to learning."
The BCP has a strong history of providing students in need with the foundational support for success in academics, like in the case of UC student Will Smith. According to Carnaghi, opening a BCP in CECH was made possible through partnership with Student Affairs. Associate dean of student affairs Joy Kostanek manages the BCP and ensures that students have access to free food, hygiene items, career clothing and other critical items to better support their success at UC.
By establishing this satellite location, CECH increases accessibility to crucial supports and helps reduce barriers to learning.
Laura Carnaghi CECH associate director of the center
In addition to UC’s primary BCP Market and the two satellite locations, the team oversees the dining hall meal voucher program and the Healthy Bites snack program. All students, regardless of their program, can utilize the career closet to select professional clothing. Students with infants can also receive diapers, wipes and other baby supplies. The BCP team consults with each student to ensure they have access to necessary items and local community resources (e.g, SNAP benefits, rental and utilities assistance) that support their success and well-being. The BCP Market (located in Stratford Heights Building 16) and the satellite locations are open over the summer. Hours are posted on the BCP website.
"We believe providing a student-centric environment that focuses on overall student well-being lays the foundation for academic success and personal growth,” Carnaghi said. “We understand that the BCP is not a fix-all for the resource insecurity many of our students are facing, but we hope that it is a step in the right direction.”
Feature photo at top by Luke Bisesi.
How to Donate to CECH’s Bearcat Pantry and Resource Center
The BCP and Resource Center is sustained through various donations from the UC campus community, alumni, Greater Cincinnati area, and extended family and friends on an ongoing basis. There are several ways you can support the BCP – make a financial gift, purchase items from our Amazon wish list, or donate physical items directly to the BCP Market (Stratford Heights Building 16) or CECH’s new satellite location at the Student Services Center in Teachers-Dyer Hall, Room 360.
The BCP and Resource Center supports the diverse needs of University of Cincinnati students by providing free groceries, toiletries and professional clothing. With multiple locations on campus, including a new satellite pantry in Teachers-Dyer Complex, the BCP and Resource Center aims to reduce barriers to learning and foster a supportive environment for student success. For more information about the pantry and its services, please visit the center’s website.