Food Support
Consistent access to food is a necessary part of being a successful, healthy student. Should you experience an unanticipated hardship or emergency, we can help connect you to groceries.
Blue Table
Blue Table is a food pantry for UB students who do not have access to food as a result of an emergency. The program is available to off-set unanticipated hardship and short-term food insecurity and is not meant to replace a meal plan or be a means of consistent grocery access.
Students who use Blue Table follow three easy steps:
1. Complete a Blue Table intake
2. Meet with a Blue Table Coordinator
3. Visit Blue Table in the Student Union
Frequently Asked Questions
Blue Table offers a menu of healthy, shelf-stable food options that include dairy, fruits and vegetables, grains and pasta, mixes and instant meals, proteins, and soups and sauces, in addition to grab and go options like sandwiches and salads. Personal care and hygiene products are also available.
Visits to Blue Table are based on individual student needs. Blue Table is located in the Student Union on the North Campus and is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the fall and spring semesters with a reduced schedule during the winter and summer sessions.
An intake is the first touchpoint between a student and Blue Table and initiates a connection to the Blue Table Coordinator, a licensed social worker. A meeting with the Blue Table Coordinator reviews the intake, determines how Blue Table can help, and creates a holistic plan to address need.
Community Toolkit
Blue Table exists through the generous support of the UB and Buffalo community. Donated food and funds sustain Blue Table and help keep students healthy and safe. Whether you are working with a specific population of students, faculty or staff, within an office or department, or within the Buffalo community, food drives can bring a group or team together to support students.
Help Fight Campus Hunger
Additional Resources
What is SNAP?
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that can help buy food at authorized retail food stores when money is tight. SNAP benefits are meant to supplement other sources of household income that can be used to purchase food, not to cover the full monthly cost of food for most households.
To be eligible to apply, college students must meet all of the following criteria:
- Must be a US Citizen or have a Green Card for 5 years or hold refugee or asylum status
- Have a student meal plan that covers 50% or less of their meals, or have no meal plan at all
- Must meet SNAP income requirements
Additionally, college students must meet ONE of the following criteria:
- Participate in a state or federally financed Work Study program
- Work at least 20 hours a week in paid employment or self-employed making the equivalent of at least 20h of minimum wage
- Be a single parent enrolled full time responsible for a child under the age of 12
- Be responsible for care of a household member who is under the age of 6 or incapacitated
Ready to apply?
Do you want to meet with a SNAP representative to walk you through the process?
- Click the green button below.
- Log in with your UBIT name and password.
- Click "Schedule an appointment."
- In the drop down menus, select:
- Type of appointment: Health Promotion
- Appointment Reason: SNAP Appointment
- Click "View available appointments."
- Click on the appointment time you want and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
UBITName and password required
Food Pantry Locator
Food Bank of WNY provides support to the community at a variety of locations in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara Counties.
* The University at Buffalo is committed to ensuring equal access to information that is presented online. As part of this commitment, university web content must be accessible to everyone, including individuals with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, with or without the use of assistive technology. If you encounter an accessibility issue, please contact the Dean of Students Office for assistance.
The article below gives a concise overview of eating healthy on a budget. Topics covered include: meal planning within your budget, recipes, food myths, and links to additional resources. Credit: moneygeek.com
Unanticipated circumstances can prevent students from continuing their education and achieving academic success. UB has unique resources to connect students to emergency funding.
UB coordinates a free professional clothing boutique, HIRED, which is dedicated to providing students and recent graduates with apparel, accessories, and personal care items that will help them achieve their career development goals. HIRED's inventory, is supplied through generous donations by community members, and has a wide array of high-quality, contemporary items. Students may try on as many items as they wish and take home one complete outfit per semester.
Short-term on campus mental health support
Student Life
University at Buffalo
120 Richmond Quadrangle, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14261
Phone: (716) 645-2720; Fax: (716) 645-2175
University at Buffalo
1st Floor Michael Hall, South Campus
Buffalo, NY 14214
Phone: (716) 829-5800
Primary, non-emergency medical care
Student Life
University at Buffalo
4350 Maple Rd
Amherst, NY 14226
Phone: (716) 829-3316; Fax: (716) 829-2564
Preventative health and wellness education
Student Life
University at Buffalo
114 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-2837; Fax: (716) 645-6234
Additional Resources
Need to talk?
Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. We're here for everything: anxiety, depression, suicide, and more. Text: Got5U to 741741
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Need Help?
Student Life
University at Buffalo
315 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-2982; Fax: (716) 645-2260