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The CMU Pantry

The CMU Pantry is committed to reducing hunger among students by providing nutritious food at no cost. We are dedicated to serving our student community with accessible food resources to promote a healthier, balanced university experience.

The CMU Pantry is a free, supplemental food resource open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Shoppers are able to visit the Pantry once a week. The Pantry provides shoppers access to fresh fruits and vegetables based on seasonal availability. New additions to the Pantry include access to frozen produce such as meats, fruits, and vegetables and frozen ready-to-eat meals based on availability. Additionally, there is a consistent stock of non-perishables including staple items such as pasta, rice, peanut butter, and canned goods such as beans, meats, fruits, vegetables and soups. The Pantry also stocks toiletry and personal hygiene items.

Pantry Shopper Information

All CMU students are required to bring their CMU ID card to gain entry to Residence on Fifth by showcasing it to the front desk staff. (Only students residing in Residence on Fifth are able to swipe into the building). All students are encouraged to bring multiple reusable bags to help carry any items from the Pantry. This encourages sustainability in addition to complying with the plastic bag ban in Pittsburgh.

All shoppers are highly encouraged to complete the Pantry Shopping Form below to ensure they are able to shop at the Pantry. (Please note that during the beginning of the semester, the Pantry may not accept walk-in’s to ensure that our supply lasts for shoppers with appointments).

If you are experiencing a food emergency and are not able to acquire and/or wait for your appointment, please contact the Pantry at cmu-pantry@andrew.cmu.edu for assistance.

How to Shop at the Pantry

  1. Complete the “Pantry Shopping Form.” This form must be completed every time you visit the Pantry. Be sure to click the “This is my first time visiting the Pantry” option when you are completing the form for the first time.
  2. Once you have submitted the form, the submission page will direct you to the Pantry Shopping Time Calendar, where you will pick your day and time to shop. You will receive an email confirmation confirming your selected day and time. Please be punctual when you visit the Pantry; shoppers who arrive outside of their reservation time may be asked to wait for space to open up before they are permitted to shop in the Pantry. If you need to reschedule or cancel your reservation, use the links in the confirmation email to do so.
  3. Visit the Pantry during your chosen timeslot to pick up your items. The Pantry is located at the Residence on Fifth Avenue (4700 Fifth Avenue). When you enter the building, you will turn left and walk to the dining room located outside of the Pantry.

Summer Shopping Hours

May 5 - August 10, 2025

  • Mondays: CLOSED
  • Tuesdays: CLOSED
  • Wednesdays: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Thursdays: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Fridays: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Saturdays: CLOSED
  • Sundays: CLOSED 

CMU Pantry Location

Residence on Fifth
4700 Fifth Avenue, First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Res on Fifth Pantry

Directions to the Pantry

Contact Information

cmu-pantry@andrew.cmu.edu
412-268-8704 (Office of Student Leadership, Involvement, and Civic Engagement (SLICE))

The CMU Pantry Comic Book

Not having enough nutritious food to eat is a problem many university students face on a regular basis. CMU is no exception.

In 2020, Gabi Maier, faculty member in CMU's modern languages department, and Cora Hickoff, School of Fine Arts alumna, created a CMU Pantry comic book as a fun way to educate students about the pantry.

The comic is based on 37 student interviews, conducted in the fall of 2019 by Gabi, that revealed a number of questions and concerns students had about CMU’s food pantry: What is the pantry What does it offer? Who is allowed to use it? Will I take away food from students who need it more than I do? 

The comic script is based on the interviews that Cora turned into a fully illustrated comic book.

Questions or comments about the comic? Contact Gabi Maier at eichgabi@andrew.cmu.edu or Cora Hickoff at corahickoff@gmail.com.

Directions to the Pantry

Pedestrian Directions

From the Cohon Center, travel down Morewood Avenue and turn left on Fifth Avenue. At the intersection of Neville Street and Fifth Avenue, The Residence on Fifth will be on your left. Alternately, a cut through at the back of the Tepper parking lot, which passes next to the WQED building, gets you to Fifth Avenue. Then, turn left toward the intersection of Fifth and Neville.

Bus Route Directions

Use PAT bus stops (#1175 and #1169, outbound and inbound respectively) where the 71B and 71D routes stop at the corner of Neville Street and Fifth Avenue, where the Residence on Fifth is located.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.

Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

  1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
  2. fax: (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.