New food pantry offers free food, essential items to Greeley community in Northern Colorado

There’s a new resource in Greeley that’s helping University of Northern Colorado students receive supplemental food and other essential items for free. Bear Pantry has been expanded and is now open, as part of UNC’s Division of Student Affairs. 

Students like Maddie Weizenegger are already flocking to the pantry, located inside the campus University Center.

“Oh, my God. They have pasta?” she exclaimed, carefully looking through the shelves while making a recent grocery run for herself and her sorority sisters. “Anything you could possibly imagine is here!”

CBS News Colorado’s Mekialaya White caught up with Weizenegger as she checked off her grocery list. She had a selection, as it was freshly stocked by Bear Pantry Graduate Assistant Freddie Horn.

“I’m in charge of day-to-day operations, accumulating our food from various locations that we partnered with throughout town,” Horn explained. “Anyone that’s enrolled or a staff or faculty member can come here. We have a very diverse population on campus, so we try to meet as many needs as we possibly can.”

In recent years, those needs have grown. According to Spring 2023 reports from the American College Health Association, 50% of undergraduate and 39% of graduate students reported having food insecurity in the past 30 days. 

“So many people are in high need right now. It’s just a hard time,” Horn said. That’s why he works to make the space as welcoming as possible. 

“I learned so much from so many different people and walks of life. It’s a blessing to do something like this. To give people space and an opportunity to have their voices heard. And it warms my heart to see people come in week after week. It can be a double-edged sword because we don’t want people to struggle with things. It’s kind of a beacon of hope honestly.”

Weizenegger can attest to that.

“As a college student, you’re always looking for ways to save, right?” White asked.

“Oh, yeah. I’m personally paying for college all by myself, I’m paying for my sorority and my tuition by myself. So having this kind of backbone of having a meal that the university is giving me is super nice.”

Available items change from week to week but often include milk and milk alternatives, pasta, soups, canned tuna, rice, peanut butter, cheese, tofu, eggs, snacks, frozen meat and meat alternatives, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and paper towels. Free menstrual products and sexual health products are also available.

Spring 2025 hours are as follows:

Monday: 1 – 6 p.m.

Tuesday: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 9 a.m. – 12 noon & 2 – 5 p.m.

Thursday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

You’re encouraged to contact [email protected] to schedule an appointment outside of normal operating hours.