RIT FoodShare

Hours of Operation

  • Mondays-Thursdays: 1-7 p.m.
  • Fridays: Closed
  • Saturdays: 1-5 p.m. 
  • Sundays: Closed

Contact Us

The RIT FoodShare Center was established in 2015 with two simple goals: to reduce food waste on campus and to provide RIT community members with access to safe and nutritious food.

Access RIT FoodShare

RIT FoodShare, located at 113 Kimball Drive in the Riverknoll Apartments, offers immediate, confidential support for food, clothing, and hygiene products on the RIT campus. This vital on-campus resource is available to all currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff of the university. 

View the RIT FoodShare video to get directions to RIT FoodShare and learn more about what is available and what to expect when you arrive.

What to Expect

When you arrive at RIT FoodShare, you will be greeted by a FoodShare Assistant. The FoodShare Assistant will help you by sharing FoodShare procedures and is available to give you a tour or answer any questions you may have about your shopping experience.

You can take up to 5 items per day. A variety of boxed and canned goods are available for you to choose from. Additionally, there are three refrigerators in the room—two containing vegetables and one containing fruit.

Keep these things in mind as you enter the Grocery Room:

  • Supply depends on donations, so food availability will change. Daily limits may be adjusted.
  • If it is not in the Grocery Room, the item is unavailable. We do not keep items in storage that are not already on the shelves.
  • We check food for safety. Many items may look to have passed their best-buy date, but they are still safe to consume. 

Two clothing rooms are available. Each contains pants, jackets, shirts, shoes, belts, ties, winter coats, and more.

Learn more about Bern’s Closet 

When you have gathered all your items for the day, stop by the front desk to check out. The FoodShare Assistant will ask you to swipe your ID or provide your RIT username.
Note: None of your personal information is published or monitored; this is simply an internal practice that helps us track usage and identify trends.

You will also be asked to read off or show your items to the FoodShare Assistant to track outgoing items for inventory purposes. You will be provided a bag to carry your items, however, we do encourage you to bring your bags back during each visit to promote sustainable practices.

A Keurig and a hot water kettle are available in the main community space. A variety of coffee, hot chocolate, and tea options are available. Help yourself to one K-cup, tea bag, or hot chocolate packet during each visit.

Someone restocking the refrigerator at FoodShare
2 people shopping in the grocery room at FoodShare smiling with baskets
A student using the free Keurig at FoodShare West

FoodShare Guidelines

Please familiarize yourself with the RIT FoodShare procedures and guidelines before you visit. This helps you have a great experience and ensures our staff and the facility are respected.

  • Take what you need each day and visit daily, if needed.
  • Only take one of each item.
  • Be respectful to the RIT FoodShare staff. They work hard to support the center.
  • Clean up after yourself.
  • Return items you do not need to where you found them. Clothes to racks, food to shelves, etc.
  • Check out at the front desk and be sure to show ALL food items taken so they can be tracked in the FoodShare inventory.
  • Swipe-in using your RIT ID and do not go behind the front desk at any point during your visit.
  • Bring your own reusable bag.

Bern's Closet

In 2018, FoodShare became the permanent location for Bern's Closet, a clothing bank providing professional attire and other apparel to community members in need. The closet is named in honor of the late Bernadette Lynch, a beloved RIT staff member and founder of the university's I'm First program, who passed away from cancer in 2017.

Bern's Closet offers RIT students much-needed clothing items, generously donated by RIT staff, faculty, and Greater Rochester community members, with the goal of helping students leave with a professional-looking outfit or seasonal clothing—at no cost—to wear for the Career Fair and beyond.

A member of the RIT community shopping through clothes at Bern's Closet
A volunteer and student interacting in front of a wall of shoes at Bern's Closet in FoodShare

Support RIT FoodShare & Bern’s Closet

FoodShare is made possible because of generous support from the RIT and greater Rochester communities. There are many ways that you can support RIT FoodShare and Bern’s Closet. 

FoodShare Donation Guidelines

  • Unopened food items in their original packaging and within their expiration period
  • Non-perishable items
  • Cleaning and hygiene items

  • Open food or prepared food from events that have been sitting out (example: sandwich platters or vegetable trays)
  • Homemade or prepared foods
  • Damaged food or compromised packaging
  • Food left sitting outside FoodShare

Bern’s Closet Donation Guidelines

  • Business clothes/items such as pants/slacks, button-ups, suit jackets/sets, and belts.
  • Casual dress items
  • Winter wear such as boots, jackets, and gloves.

  • Clothing with rips, tears, or stains
  • Casual wear, including swimsuits, t-shirts, and undergarments.

Community Resources

What is food insecurity? 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

How is hunger defined?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines hunger as the uneasy or painful sensation caused by lack of food. It is not directly measured but considered 'an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity.'

Source: US Department of Agriculture, (2019). Definitions of Food Security.

Case Management
The Case Management team assists students in connecting to resources on and off campus, as well as helping students navigate complex personal problems, including health insurance, food and housing insecurity, financial concerns, and more. 
Learn more about Case Management

Counseling and Psychological Services
A study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine determined that the stress around food insecurity was associated with poorer mental health. Counselors are trained to provide confidential and personalized services to support students' mental health needs, as well as any mental health needs associated with food insecurity.
Learn more about Counseling and Psychological Services

Health Promotion
The Health Promotion Team works to provide healthy outlets for students and a well-rounded approach to health throughout the semester. They host various engaging events and support students in connecting with other on-campus resources, such as the Disability Services Office, Student Health Center, and more.
Learn more about Health Promotion

 

 

Community members in need of additional support or those not eligible for RIT FoodShare services are encouraged to visit the Foodlink website for information on local food pantries, community meal programs, and food distribution sites in the area.

Learn more about Foodlink

Upcoming Events