ANU Community Connect

Remember to bring a bag!

Always bring a bag when visiting the ANU Community Connect Food Pantry! ANU has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to below zero by 2030. You can do your part by bringing a reusable bag to the food pantry.

You can read more about the University's commitment to Below Zero here.

Recipes you can take home with you!

Check out these easy recipes which include ingredients from the Kitchen Garden and ACC Food Pantry.

ANU Community Connect (ACC) provides a safe and welcoming space for students to connect with peers, support and community activities. We offer no-cost essential items through our ANU Community Connect Food Pantry and Share the Dignity Vending Machine, and opportunities for students to engage with the ANU community through events and drop-ins.

ACC also houses one of the five ANU sponsored Dignity Vending Machines located on campus where staff and students can access a free period pack containing six tampons and two pads. A period pack can be dispensed from the machine every 3 minutes. Other locations include Chifley Library, Hancock Library, Menzies Library, and Law Library. You can find these locations using this map.

ANU Community Connect Food Pantry opening hours:

Semester One, 2023

Tuesday 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Thursday 1:00pm - 4:00pm

If you are experiencing immediate food or financial insecurity, contact student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au for immediate support.

Did you know?

Roughly 1 in 5 students will experience food insecurity during their studies.*

The ANU Community Connect Food Pantry is designed to assist students experiencing food insecurity by making healthy, cost-free food accessible once a week.

If you would like to volunteer your time to the food pantry, please review the information further down this webpage.

*based on data collected through the ANU Community Connect Food Pantry service.

What is the purpose of ANU Community Connect?

The ACC purpose and mission is to engage with our students and wider ANU community to actively address food and financial insecurity, social isolation and foster a vibrant campus community.

Who runs the ACC space and Food Pantry?

The ACC Food Pantry is run by a small team of staff, student peer educators from the Engagement and Success team, University Experience and a large number of our amazing student volunteers.

What does the ACC aim to do?

Deliver a no-cost Food Pantry, which is a safe, non-judgmental space for all enrolled ANU students experiencing food insecurity to access food support and connect to support as needed.
Provide opportunities to cultivate a culture of social inclusion and equity through engagement in co-curricular activities and events that not only teach valuable life-long skills but give back to community.
Encourage students to engage with our team, get help navigating the complexities of university and student life.
Create opportunities to connect with others in a friendly, inclusive environment through ACC & Kitchen Garden Program (KGP) through learning to cook easy, low cost nutritional meals using items available from the food pantry and kitchen gardens on campus.

Who is the ACC Food Pantry for?

The ACC Food Pantry is for currently enrolled students experiencing food insecurity. We recognise that the rising cost of living and demands of work and study can cause students to skip meals and go without food.

It is a safe, respectful and non-judgemental space designed to support students in their pursuit of higher education by ensuring that no student has to ever miss a meal or go without basic necessities due to financial reasons.

We encourage students to take what they need, when they need it and to be considerate of others.

How can I contribute to ANU Community Connect?

You can support ANU Community Connect through volunteering, food donations and monetary donations.

If you are interested in volunteering at the ACC Food Pantry please fill out this expression of interest form. If you would like to donate food or money to ACC Food Pantry please contact thrive@anu.edu.au to discuss this further.

Stay up to date with events, activities and the progress of the initiative by following Thrive’s Facebook and Instagram and the Engagement and Success teams Facebook and Instagram.

How does the points system work?

Enrolled ANU students can access items up to 10 points each week at the pantry. Each food item in the pantry is assigned a point value based on value, size and demand. These points are reset for students Monday of the following week and do not accumulate.

10 points is enough points to grab 3-10 items such as a carton of milk (3 points), peanut butter (3 points), canned beans (2 points), and a couple spices (1 point each). Or you could grab a jar of pasta sauce (2 points), pasta (2 points), canned lentils (2 points) and a few muesli bars (1 point each). A list of regularly stocked items can be found on our website here.

Do I need a valid student card to access the pantry?

Yes, to access the pantry a valid student card is required. If you need a new card please contact Student Central. If you forget your card the team will need to note your University ID and you must bring your card with you for future visits.

Frequently Asked Questions about the pantry

When is the ANU Community Connect food pantry open? Can I access it outside of the listed times?

The pantry is not accessible outside of these hours to ensure there is staff to assist students accessing the space and provide additional food and financial support when needed. If you are in need of immediate assistance, please send an email to Student.Wellbeing@anu.edu.au.

The space has been organised so that there are professional staff there when it is open in order to facilitate referrals to other student support services across campus as required. It is also utilised for student engagement and development events and activities run by the wider Engagement and Success team.

Where is the food pantry located and how can I find it?

ANU Community Connect can be found in the Copland Building #24 next to the ANUSA Spoon Space and COP G032. If using Lost On Campus - Student VIP you can find the general location of the building by searching for the room COP GO32. There is signage and A-frames outside the building to help identify the location of ANU Community Connect.

Are there personal hygiene products available at the ACC?

Yes, there are personal hygiene products available via the Dignity Vending Machine, which is an initiative by Share the Dignity which provides free sanitary items.

Within ANU Community Connect, students can also find other resources and health essentials such as contraception and information on sexual health.

Is the pantry always stocked, and what is the best time to visit?

The pantry is always stocked, and while we may run out of a few high demand items, we will always have stock of essential goods available.

We encourage students not to form a queue before the advertised opening hours. This allows students to more freely move throughout the space, with lesser wait times. Students can drop in anytime during these hours to access the pantry. We also have shorter wait times later in the afternoon.

The food pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday 1:00pm - 4:00pm.

The 10 point system is designed to give every student a choice and opportunity to access a variety of items. On occasion some items may not be available due supplier availability or student demand.

Does the food pantry offer fresh food such as eggs, bread and vegetables?

No, the food pantry at ANU Community Connect focuses on providing long-life pantry essentials. Fresh food can be accessed through the Brian Kenyon Student Space (BKSS) Student Bites program and free breakfast weekday mornings.

Students can also learn how to grow, harvest and cook fresh fruit and vegetables by participating in the Thrive Kitchen Garden program. Students are welcome to come to the Thrive Kitchen Garden Wednesday mornings to learn about community gardens and cooking. Lunch will be provided and occasionally students can harvest fruit and vegetables to take home.

What items can I get at the food pantry? Do the items change each week?

The food pantry supplies long-life pantry staples such as canned goods, long-life milk, pasta and rice. Week to week there may be slight differences in brand, product type and size in regular stocked items due to supplier availability and student demand. A list of regularly stocked items can be found on our website here.

Can I get additional points if I need more support?

Yes, students who have a genuine need for food or financial support can receive additional points to use at the pantry. Our team can provide students with more information on other food and financial support services on and off campus and also help students connect in with any support needed for the wellbeing.

Please chat to one of our friendly staff or email thrive@anu.edu.au to discuss accessing additional points, find out more about food and financial services available, and other supports for student wellbeing.

What differentiates ANU Community Connect from other ANU services?

ANU Community Connect focuses on connecting students to their peers, student and community development programs and student support services including the no-cost food pantry in the space. This food pantry focuses on providing non-perishable pantry staples, while other services, such as BKSS, offer fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as baked goods through the Student Bites program.

How is ANU Community Connect funded?

ANU Community Connect is funded through Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP), with support from ANU staff and services. Thrive staff and workshops are partially funded by the Student Services Amenities Fee (SSAF).

What are you doing with the feedback you are collecting from students who access the pantry?

The feedback that students submit after accessing the service is used to review processes to improve the pantry experience. We are working to implement feedback each week however some suggestions take longer and we ask for your patience, we are doing our best to deliver the best service we can for our students. If you have feedback while accessing the pantry, feel free to chat to one of our friendly staff and your feedback will be recorded and reviewed by management.

Students who optionally ask for additional food, financial or wellbeing support will be contacted by the Student Safety and Wellbeing team to discuss further services and support options.

What other programs are offered through ANU Community Connect?

A variety of different student and community development workshops and activities are held at ANU Community Connect which are run by Thrive and the wider Engagement and Success team. Regular activities include the International Student Support group, craft workshops, student leader training and more. Feel free to ask our friendly staff about upcoming programs and events.

Why is the space only accessible during staffed hours?

What services can staff refer me to for additional support with food/financial insecurity, health and wellbeing, academic or social connections?

Friendly Thrive staff and volunteers can refer students to different support services on campus and Canberra community that are appropriate to their situation. Examples of support available are listed below.

Food and Financial Support

Health and Wellbeing

Academic

Social Connection

If you have additional questions or queries that have not been addressed in the frequently asked questions, please email Thrive at thrive@anu.edu.au and a member of our team will be in touch.