24 Aug Stater Bros. Charities Donates $50,000 to Support Cal State Fullerton Students Facing Food Insecurity
Stater Bros. Charities has donated $50,000 to the Associated Students Inc. Food Pantry at Cal State Fullerton, providing critical support to help ensure students have reliable access to nutritious food and essential resources.
The donation comes as demand for the ASI Food Pantry continues to grow. During the 2025-26 academic year, The Pantry recorded more than 25,000 appointments, underscoring the need for accessible food resources on campus.
“Our purpose is rooted in removing barriers so students can focus on earning their degree,” said Dr. Dave Edwards, ASI associate vice president and executive director. “Food insecurity is one of those barriers. This incredibly generous gift from Stater Bros. Charities allows us to continue meeting students where they are and providing a resource that can make an immediate difference in their lives.”
That barrier affects a significant portion of the CSUF community. A 2024 survey found that 46 percent of CSUF students experienced some level of food insecurity, including 23 percent who experienced very low food security. The survey also identified barriers that can prevent students from seeking assistance, including lack of awareness, uncertainty about how to access resources, limited time and stigma.
Since opening in 2021, the ASI Food Pantry has grown significantly in response to student need, recording 8,107 appointments in its first year. Today, students can access fresh produce, pantry staples, refrigerated and frozen foods, cultural foods and vegan/vegetarian options.
ASI Board of Directors Chair Deniz Suzer said supporting basic needs is central to ensuring students have the opportunity to succeed.
“Students should not have to choose between buying groceries and paying for the other things they need to stay in school,” Suzer said. “Having resources like the ASI Food Pantry available means students can get support without losing sight of why they came to Cal State Fullerton in the first place. This donation shows our students that people in the community see what they are facing and are willing to invest in their success.”
For Charlotte Wall, community relations manager at Stater Bros. Markets, addressing food insecurity among college students also has implications well beyond meeting immediate needs.
“When students have access to reliable, nutritious food, the impact reaches far beyond the classroom,” Wall said. “Retention improves, focus sharpens, graduation rates rise, and every student who graduates helps strengthen California’s workforce, our economy and the future.”
The donation also supports CSUF’s broader efforts to address basic needs as an important component of student success.
“At Cal State Fullerton, our students are resilient. They are hard workers, they show up every day and give 150 percent, with the intention of changing their lives and the lives of their families,” said Dr. Khalilah Doss, vice president of Student Affairs and Strategic Enrollment Management. “Our students have the tenacity, the desire, the vision to show up and do these things, and these invisible challenges exist. And for them to choose between food and books, it’s probably a challenge we can’t relate to, but it’s real, and this donation will help us mitigate that.”
ASI continues to expand its approach to student well-being through the ASI Student Wellness Initiative, which includes plans for a centralized basic-needs center. The future center is intended to bring food assistance and other essential resources together in a more accessible, welcoming location for students.
The $50,000 gift reflects the role community partnerships can play in strengthening safety nets for students, helping them remain focused on their education.
“Every donation allows us to stretch our resources further and serve more students,” Edwards said. “We are deeply grateful to Stater Bros. Charities and its partners for recognizing that supporting students’ basic needs is an investment in their education, their future and the communities they will go on to serve.”