The impact of the government shutdown on SNAP benefits could be considerable. We encourage anyone in the Temple community who is affected by the loss of these benefits to visit the Barnett Irvine Cherry Pantry on the first floor of the Howard Gittis Student Center, where free nonperishable, nutritious goods are available.

Any student experiencing food insecurity can also apply to receive donated meal swipes through the Fall 2025 Swipe Out Hunger program. The Division of Student Affairs distributes these swipes at the Louis J. Esposito Dining Center in Johnson and Hardwick throughout the semester. 

How you can help 

We are taking additional proactive steps to help students and families in the Temple and North Philadelphia communities during this time. Here is some information on how you can help our efforts. 

Barnett Irvine Cherry Pantry: The pantry has set up the following Amazon wishlist to facilitate your donations. All purchases directly support the Cherry Pantry, helping to meet the basic needs of our community. While this wishlist was initially created to support the Thanksgiving holiday, it has been broadened to include a wider array of food items. 

Volunteer for the Cherry Pantry and Philabundance Food Bank: Both the Cherry Pantry and Philabundance Food Bank need additional volunteers to help pack and distribute donations. We encourage anyone who is interested in volunteering with the Cherry Pantry or Philabundance to sign up for volunteer opportunities through the Owls for Philly program. 

On-campus collection sites: The university will establish on-campus collection sites that will remain in place until the start of fall break on Friday, Nov. 21. Please bring your nonperishable items (canned or boxed goods like soup or pasta) to any of the locations below. 

These donations will help support both the Cherry Pantry and a regional food fund that has been established by the Philadelphia Foundation, the William Penn Foundation, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. 

• The Christopher and Julie Barnett Essential Needs Hub (Howard Gittis Student Center, 1755 N. 13th St.)
• Charles Library (1900 N. 13th St.)
• Entertainment and Community Education Center (1509 Cecil B. Moore Ave.)
• Department of Public Safety (1101 Montgomery Ave. and the Public Safety center station on Beasley and Polett walks)

Food donations at the Liacouras Center during basketball games: Attendees at the women’s basketball games on Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 and at the men’s basketball games on Nov. 11, Nov. 15 and Nov. 19 are encouraged to bring canned food to donate in the lobby of the Liacouras Center. 

Temple’s Hope Center for Student Basic Needs: The Hope Center has put together the SNAP Cliff resource guide, which will be continuously updated as new information becomes available. 

Dr. Theresa Powell Student Aid Emergency Fund: You may make donations to the emergency fund, which will provide students with short-term financial assistance during this time.

Volunteer organizations

Each organization has its own registration systems and requirements. If you are organizing a group of volunteers from Temple for a specific day, please be sure to contact the organization directly to make arrangements. Once the day and time are finalized, email [click-for-email] to have your group’s event entered into the system. 

Given the high level of need as well as the response across the region, the organizations below are recommending that you go directly to their websites to review and select volunteer shifts and choose your activity.