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2 Stop & Shop fundraisers benefit Eastern's resident food pantry this October

Special purchases support Shawn's Cupboard throughout month

Willimantic, CT (09/30/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University's food pantry, Shawn's Cupboard, will receive support this October through two Stop & Shop charitable giving programs. Throughout the month, the Willimantic grocery store will donate $1 to the campus pantry for every $2.50 spent on a reusable "Community Bag." In addition, Eastern has been chosen as a nonprofit partner in Stop & Shop's "Bloomin' 4 Good" initiative, which fights hunger statewide by donating $1 for every specially marked $11.99 bouquet of flowers sold in Connecticut stores.

"Eastern utilizes donations to purchase fresh produce and other high-demand items, which keep the shelves in Shawn's Pantry stocked throughout the year," said Michelle Delaney, vice president for Student Affairs. "Every dollar raised will be used to support Eastern students who are experiencing food insecurity."

Shawn's Cupboard is overseen by Eastern's Campus Ministry, which reports steadily increasing usage and visitation among students to the food pantry. "In the 2024/25 school year, there were a total of 1,327 visits with a total of 8,717 items taken," according to Nancy Brennan, Campus Ministry administrative assistant and Shawn's Cupboard coordinator. "For this fall 2025 semester, we've already had 250 visits with a total of 1,724 items taken."

With three months remaining in the calendar year, the ministry reports 539 unique students who have used Shawn's Cupboard so far in 2025.

"The ultimate reward received from Stop & Shop's generosity is the realization that they are helping to fulfill our Mission Statement," said Brennan. "It is through their generosity that students are getting enough to eat, which makes them able to meaningfully engage in their classes and in society."

Brennan also noted that the Campus Ministry relies on student volunteers and monetary donations to help operate Shawn's Cupboard. "Without our wonderful benefactors, Shawn's Cupboard would not be able to keep the Cupboard as full or offer as much of a variety of food to our students," she said. "I am very lucky to always have my wonderful student volunteer Zaine Gutierrez-Valenzuela who helps get all the volunteers to staff Shawn's Cupboard, as well as helps shop and keep track of the volunteer hours."

Shawn's Cupboard is located in the Knight House Multifaith Center and is open to any Eastern student experiencing food insecurity.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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Volunteers staff Shawn's Cupboard

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