Support our sister pantry, the Mountaineer Marketplace, today!

Dear Friend of the Pantry,

In 2023, Gunnison Country Food Pantry (GCFP) in partnership with Western Colorado University planted the Mountaineer Marketplace, an on-campus food pantry, for staff and students in need of food assistance. This initiative was born out of the Hunger Free Campus Committee, a group of Western employees and GCFP representatives dedicated to alleviating food insecurity on campus.

The Mountaineer Marketplace runs independently of GCFP, there are dedicated professional and student staff who oversee the day-to-day operations. GCFP offers technical support, helps with food bank relations, training staff, and fundraising.

At Western Colorado University, food insecurity is a challenge—over half of surveyed students reported low to very low food security. Since opening, the Mountaineer Marketplace has supported 603 unique students through 2,374 visits, offering no cost grocery, SNAP enrollment assistance, and essential wellness resources.

But they can’t do it alone. With your help, we can make sure every student has access to the nourishment they need to thrive.

Your Donation’s Impact
$10 – Provides a student with a week’s worth of high-protein snacks or essential kitchen tools (think can openers, cutting boards, etc.).

$25 – Purchases six healthy, college-friendly meals or a practical cookware set.
$100 – Stocks a student’s pantry with grab-and-go snacks for an entire semester.

All donations up to $2,500 will be matched- so every dollar counts! Don’t miss your chance to double your donation.

I hope you’ll join me in supporting this critical program today!

Staff Spotlight: 

McKenzie Mathewson, Associate Director of Community Wellness at Western Colorado University, wants you to know this about the Mountaineer Marketplace:

“To help you understand why this cause is important to me, I want to share my experience with the Mountaineer Marketplace.  When students first learn about the Marketplace, their initial visit is often full of hesitation.  First-time visitors often linger at the door, eyes scanning the shelves in the Marketplace, unsure if they should enter.  Student staff always offer a warm smile and welcome everyone in, trying to offer assurance that we want to provide support and offer no judgment. 

As students navigate through the Mountaineer Marketplace, you can feel the relief flowing off them as they grab staples like pasta, canned vegetables, peanut butter, etc.  We try to make their experience dignified, allowing them to pick things they will eat, no questions asked.  Having access to the Mountaineer Marketplace allows students to focus on being a college student, concerned about their academics, instead of worrying about their next meal, or worrying about whether they pay their rent or eat dinner. 

While it is amazing that we offer the Mountaineer Marketplace, at the end of the day, it’s more than just a food security resource.  Food security and mental health go hand in hand.  A student who is fed, is a student who has the opportunity to thrive at Western Colorado University.  The Marketplace is a one-stop shop for all Wellness resources.  By offering mental health and other basic needs resources in the Marketplace, not only are we feeding students, but we’re also helping reduce stress, anxiety, and other mental health struggles.

Overall, every dollar raised for the Marketplace helps us keep our shelves full, students fed, and be a launching point for students to connect to other wellness resources to help them succeed.  Our goal is to take the hesitation that students may feel in accessing the Marketplace and when they leave, have them know that there is a community, the Western Colorado University Community, that cares about them.

I’m excited to be part of this community-driven effort, and with your help, we can make a real difference. Every donation, no matter how big or small, helps provide current and future students with the opportunities they need to succeed and thrive. “

McKenzie Mathewson can be reached at:
mmathewson@western.edu
Phone: 970.943.2189

Testimonials from Students

“The Marketplace prevents me from making hard decisions about whether to pay for tuition or food. Knowing that Western cares enough to provide this resource reassures me that I made the right choice in coming here.” – Anonymous Student

“As a student struggling with grocery costs, working at the Marketplace has been incredibly rewarding. I see firsthand how it relieves stress and empowers students to succeed.” – Daylana Ferguson, Graduate Assistant for Community Wellness