From canned goods to fresh produce, ready-to-go meals, and baby formula, Cats Cupboard has become a vital support system for the University of New Hampshire (UNH) community.
The mission of Cats Cupboard at UNH is to alleviate food insecurity for the UNH community by providing direct access to free and nourishing food. This includes food coming in primarily from donations, and a small budget from UNH directly.
Supervisor of Cats Cupboard, Ryan Chagnon, states that UNH budget cuts have not affected the budget he receives for the food pantry. For the entire academic year, Chagnon is given a budget of $20,000 for Cats Cupboard.
“This number is just for the cupboard and is available to be spent on labor, additional supplemental orders to restock from our main food supplier,” Chagnon said. “Also, the delivery fees and premium items acquired through the New Hampshire food bank are usually around $700 to $1,300 a month.”
The support of the campus and community members makes all the difference for a student who may be struggling to afford meals and other necessities. Open Monday through Friday, Cats Cupboard is there for the UNH community.
“It's rough times, especially now,” states Chagnon, “the staff, undergrads, and grads all benefit from it.”
There is a high volume of people coming into Cats Cupboard weekly, but especially on Thursdays to receive food. While it is not clear exactly why there is this surplus on Thursdays, it could be linked to the Philbrook Dining Hall (Philly) closure on weekends.
The closure of Philly has made it difficult for students housed in residential halls that are further away from Holloway Commons (HoCo) to get their meals on weekends as the weather gets colder and the walk to HoCo remains long.
Cats Cupboard is a food pantry accessible to anyone with a UNH identification card. This includes undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. The only ask from the pantry is that you bring your own grocery bags.
“The biggest need for Cats Cupboard, I’ve found, comes from grad students and then staff,” said Chagnon.
The service operates directly on volunteer help and donations, which can be dropped off at any of the food collection spots, either at Paul College, around campus, or directly to Cats Cupboard, which is located in the Memorial Union Building (MUB).
Due to changes in federal law, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were being cut all over the United States, including New Hampshire. SNAP is a federal program that provides low-income households with funding to purchase food. The funds provided by SNAP would be loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, during the 2025 government shutdown, “SNAP benefits are suspended and will not be available. SNAP recipients will be able to access current SNAP benefits already on their EBT cards.”
SNAP benefits being cut during the government shutdown under President Donald Trump meant, for a lot of Americans, deepening food insecurity, negative health outcomes from skipping meals or not being able to afford nutritious foods, and also an increased demand on nonprofits and food pantries, which have a hard time keeping up with the sudden need.
On Nov. 12, 2025, the government shutdown ended, which meant SNAP benefits could get back to schedule, but the damage from the 44-day shutdown was already done.
What Cats Cupboard needs is volunteers, especially for Wednesdays and Thursdays. While being a volunteer is not paid work, the opportunity does provide access to the food pantry to any volunteers who need to take home food or resources.
With support from campus and community members, Cats Cupboard can make the difference for a student struggling to afford meals or necessities. The pantry is there when the UNH community needs it most.
