Archie's Pantry, located in University Center East UC 1265 (near the Dean of Student's Office), is a service to promote student and employee health and wellness by providing food and hygiene products at no charge. Your charitable gift to these efforts will provide necessities and bring comfort to members of the USI family.
There is currently no active Staff Council donation drive for Archie's Pantry. Archie's Pantry accepts donations year-round. Visit their website to learn more.
Staff Council promotes Archie's Pantry in September with a campus-wide food drive.
In 2012, Staff Council sponsored a campus-wide Food Drive Competition and collected over 4,000 items! The winner received a "traveling" trophy and a chance to have their group's picture posted on the Staff Council website. The winning department, Social Work, collected over 1,000 items!
Archie's Pantry builds on a long tradition of campus support. Since 1992, USI's Recreation, Fitness & Wellness Center operated Archie's Food Closet, providing non-perishable foods, toiletries and feminine hygiene products items to students and employees facing hardship.
A 2025 partnership between the Dean of Students Office and Kinney College's Food and Nutrition Department has transformed that resource into Archie's Pantry—a reimagined, centrally located space with expanded food options, nutrition education and a unique academic partnership.
Unlike most campus food pantries, Archie's Pantry is managed by students and faculty in an academic program. Food and Nutrition students handle stocking, inventory management, food safety, and nutrition education—gaining year-round, hands-on professional experience while serving the campus community.
Through their work at the pantry, students develop a deeper understanding of food insecurity, health inequities, and social determinants of health, alongside practical skills in managing an advanced inventory system.
Archie's Pantry is located in University Center East UC 1265 (near the Dean of Students Office). It is open during the normal hours of the University Center - 7 a.m. through Midnight, seven days a week.
The pantry operates on an honor system: take only what is necessary, and leave what you can. Clients may visit once per week and select up to 15 items per visit, with additional limits in specific zones.
Archie's Pantry is free and confidential for all USI students and employees. No questions asked.
Come to the first floor of University Center East, room UC 1265 (near the Dean of Students Office). The pantry can be accessed either via a card-swipe entrance door (7 a.m. through Midnight, seven days a week) or through a private internal door in the Dean of Students Office for confidential access) 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday).
Archie's Pantry accepts food, hygiene, and monetary donations to use to purchase necessary items when donations are low throughout the year. They also have an Amazon wish list you can purchase items through to donate. Visit their website to learn more.
Common hygiene donations include:
shampoo and conditioner (men and women)
hair supplies, such as clips, brushes, combs, and scrunchies
body wash/soap
body lotion
skincare products
deodorant (men/women)
women's sanitary products, such as pads and tampons of different sizes
tissue boxes
toiled paper
paper towels
baby wipes
makeup wipes
q-tips
toothpaste
laundry products, such as detergent, softener, and dryer sheets
cleaning supplies, such as dish soap and Lysol wipes
Common food supply donations include:
nuts, such as sunflower seeds, almonds, and peanuts
oatmeal in many different flavors
cooking oils
dried herbs and spices, such as garlic, onion, salt, and pepper
crackers
granola and protein bars
poptarts
chips
evaporated milk
coffee and tea
chocolate
cereal
ramen in many different flavors
pasta sauce in many different flavors
pasta, such as spaghetti, penne, and rigatoni
instant mashed potatoes in many different flavors
rice, such as instant, brown, and white
*gluten free and different culture food items
