Local philanthropist Harvey E. Najim has donated $1.25M to the San Antonio Food Bank to feed UTSA students. Representatives from UTSA and the San Antonio Food Bank celebrated in the Main Campus Student Union on Jan. 29, announcing the donation will be divided over the next 10 years, with $125,000 going to the food bank each year. Amidst rising food prices, it comes as part of a larger mission to fight food insecurity at UTSA and in San Antonio.
The SA Food Bank distributes millions of pounds of food to over 500 organizations across Southwest Texas, including UTSA. Najim’s donations will help supply the Roadrunner Pantry, an on-campus resource providing students with free food, at both UTSA’s Main and Downtown Campuses. Najim has also announced monthly food drives in conjunction with his donation.
“Students will no longer have to choose between tuition, books, gasoline for the car and food. I don’t want them to make that choice,” Najim said.
Najim’s relationship with UTSA has been marked with significant financial contributions. His previous donations to UTSA include $3 million to establish UTSA’s Career Advancement Center, $2 million to expand it to UTSA’s Downtown Campus and $2 million committed to the Roadrunners’ Football program. His donation to the San Antonio Food Bank is the latest installment among these contributions.
“It’s tough to feel secure when your stomach is growling and you’re hungry,” Eric Cooper, president and CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, said. “So the opportunity to really nourish students, make sure they have access and a resource to get nourishment here on campus is pretty incredible.”
In a 2024 study from the Government Accountability Office, nearly a quarter of college students experienced food insecurity in 2020. The study found that among food-insecure students eligible for SNAP benefits, 59% did not take advantage of them. Rising food prices pose another obstacle in access to food. According to Nerdwallet’s review of the Consumer Price Index, food prices have risen 28% since 2019.
Part of the Roadrunner Pantry’s mission is ensuring that students are aware of the resources they can access — the pantry being one of them.
“Getting the word out there about the pantry is the best way to help us fight food insecurity,” Esperanza Regalado, a student assistant for the pantry, said.
Since its opening in 2017, the pantry now averages 200 visitors per day — offering goods, like peanut butter, bananas, water and toilet paper for free. While the number of visitors has grown, the pantry encourages more students to make use of its provisions.
“A lot here goes to waste, so might as well have people take advantage of it,” Sebastian Legorreta, another student assistant, said.
Cooper points out that stigma may deter students from using the pantry.
“People feel like they’re failing or have done something wrong,” Cooper said. “There’s no shame. If you need help, the food pantry is going to be there to help.”
Though many of its resources are supplied by the San Antonio Food Bank, the Roadrunner Pantry also relies on community support to maintain its services. Students volunteer — stocking and cleaning up the pantry — and donate. Last fall, the pantry raised over $22,000 in a friendly competition with Texas State’s pantry. Additionally, the Feeding Futures Society, a newly formed student organization, seeks to drive community effort against food insecurity by supporting the pantry and organizing volunteer opportunities.
“We rely a lot on our community,” Regalado, who is also an officer of the society, said. “Having these helping hands helps us accomplish our mission even more.”
The Roadrunner Pantry can be accessed at 1.04.06 in the Student Union for the Main Campus and at 1.306 in the Durango Building for the Downtown Campus. To volunteer at the pantry, students can sign up on RowdyLink or email RoadrunnerPantry@utsa.edu for more information. The San Antonio Food Bank can be found at 5200 Historic, Old Hwy 90. More information can be found at safoodbank.org.
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