Food Collaborative

Say Hello to the Food Collaborative

The Food Collaborative is the combined effort of various College support services, and faculty and administrators. We are dedicated to addressing our students’ basic needs and providing resources for overall success by actively working to educate, promote and advocate for the nourishment of all of our students.

The Food Collaborative was created in recognition of the importance that food plays in helping students better focus, learn and do well in class. We encourage confident choices, where eating healthy, on the run and on a budget is a part of everyday routine. Students are connected to opportunities such as vouchers and stamps, food pantries, snacks, free meals, volunteering opportunities and advocacy events. We’ve made it easy for students to get what they need, no matter where they are. Food sovereignty is our mission and goal.

Upcoming Events

Campus Cares: Food Resources Fair

Get information that will connect you to food resources on campus and in the city.

Oct. 30, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Pavilion Building Lobby
Nov. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Northeast Regional Center Lobby
Nov. 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Career and Advanced Technology Center Lobby

Turkey Giveaways

Sunday, November 16—Free turkey giveaway at two locations: 10 a.m to 12 p.m. at the corner of 31st Street and Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121 and 12 to 2 p.m. at Clifton and Tribbett Avenue, Sharon Hill, PA 19079
Saturday, November 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.—The LTB Foundation is hosing it's 5th annual turkey and coat giveaway at 22nd Street Hair Connection at 2937 North 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19132
Sunday, November 23—Dare to Imagine
Tuesday, November 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.—Conquerors CDC is giving away turkers on an first come, first served basis at 5220 Whitby Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143
Philadelphia Housing Authority—Residents should check the official PHA website for updates regarding the 2025 turkey giveaway.
Operation Turkey will deliver meals on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27, 2025)—Volunteers will deliver traditional Thanksgiving meals between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You must complete the meal request form by Friday, Nov. 21 or until all available meals are requested, whichever comes first.

Snack Rack Food Pantry

Students, don't go to class hungry! The Food Pantry is located in the Winnet Student Life Building, Room S1-12. All currently enrolled students can pick up snack packs or family food bags Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The Snack Rack Food Pantry is stacked with perishable and non-perishable food items for our students. Visit the food pantry to pick up a snack pack or two to help you get through the day, or pick up a meal bag to take home to your family.

Grady's Community Garden Events

The Snack Rack services have expanded to include giveaways from our own Grady’s Community Garden with the goal of providing nutritious options and knowledge about growing your own food. Grady's Community Garden is located on 17th Street on the side of the Bonnell Building.

Grady's Garden Fresh Produce Giveaway Dates

Stop by Grady's Garden on the following Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m. until supplies last for our fresh produce giveaways.

Fall 2025 Schedule

November 5 (Wednesday), 18
December 2, 16

Spring 2026 Schedule

January 13 and 27
February 10 and 24
March 10 and 24
April 7 and 21
May 5 and 19
June 2, 16 and 30

Support Grady's Garden

You can help take care of Grady's Garden each summer, fall and spring. Sign up to help plant seeds, water, monitor the growth in the greenhouse and the raised planter beds, and more. To volunteer at Grady’s Community Garden, visit the Center for Student Leadership Development, Winnet Student Life Building, Room S1-12 or contact Jenavia Weaver at jjweaver@ccp.edu to get started!

Food Banks and Other Resources

Philadelphia has many resources for finding healthy food for free. Following are resources to connect you with food banks throughout the city, including addresses, food pick-up times, phone numbers and requirements for each food bank.

Share Food Program

Share Food Program partners with more than 100 pantries across the region to provide free food and resources. Use their interactive map to find a food site near you or download their list of locations for Philadelphia County.

PA Navigate

PA Navigate provides a directory of food services, from emergency food to a listing of food pantries and meal services. Explore the links below to directly connect with these resources.

Delivery Services

Masjidullah

Masjidullah distributes a free bag of groceries to home bound seniors, women with children and single families who are low income or without income. Call 215-621-7800 to schedule a delivery and for more information.

Northwest Mutual Aid Collective

Northwest Mutual Aid Collective offers a home delivery service for seniors, disabled residents, and low-income families in the Northwest Philadelphia Section.Call 484-640-2892 to schedule a delivery and for more information.

Ourchive: The People's Food Bank

Ourchive offers weekly food drives on Friday. Pick up and delivery service available. Apply online or call 267-399-3719 for more information.

MANNA

MANNA delivers meals to those who are facing life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS. Ask a health care professional to complete the referral form.

PA Navigate

PA Navigate provides a directory of meal delivery services in Pennsylvania, just enter your ZIP Code to get started.

Share Food Program

Share Food Program delivers senior food boxes to those over the age of 60 and living below 130% of the poverty line. Learn more.

Food Bank Tips

Here are some tips when visiting a food bank:

Bring your own bags—bring more than you think you'll need and make sure they are strong.
Arrive early—many food banks close when they run out of food, so try to arrive as early as possible.
Call the food bank before visiting—call to confirm when they are open, when the pickup time is, and any requirements they have.

Nutrition Resources

Here are some resources to help put you on the path to a nutritious diet.

Use the interactive Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 to help you make healthier diet choices.
Visit eatright.org for healthy rescipes and information for healthy living.
Download Fooducate, a free food and nutrition tracking app, to stick to your health goals and see your activity progress.
Check out your app store for grocery comparison apps like Basket, Quick Compare and Grocery Dealz to find the best prices and coupons for additional savings.
Find ways to eat healthy and live healthfully through Food Fit Philly.

Food Drive

Attention faculty and staff, we're calling on you to be a food champion for our students. We’re organizing a food drive to help support local families and individuals who are facing food insecurity. During this holiday season, we’ll be collecting non-perishable food items to help families in need. All donations will go directly to students. The donation box is located outside of the Office of Student Engagement, Winnet Building, Room S1-12. You can also visit our Amazon Wish List for a convenient way to donate!

Snacks: Dried fruits, raisins, nuts in small packages, fruit snacks, pop-tarts, fruit cups (apple sauce or puddings), crackers, (small packs of cheese or peanut butter), granola bars, pretzels, bags of assorted chips, cheese balls, popcorn, etc.
Microwaveable, ready to eat food: Individually packaged dinners, meat or vegetarian individual meal servings, macaroni and cheese mixes, soups, oatmeal packets, instant potatoes, etc.
Beverages: Juice boxes (individually wrapped), bottled water, canned beverages, juices, etc.
Hot drinks: Instant coffee, teabags, sugar, creamer, hot chocolate individual packets, etc.
Toiletries, including: Toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, shampoo (travel size and hotel shampoos are perfect)
Canned and jarred goods: Beans, vegetables, fruits, soups, spaghetti sauce, meats, tuna fish, salmon, Vienna sausages, apple sauce, cooking oil, Crisco shortening stick, condiments (ketchup, mustard, spices), peanut butter, jams, jellies, etc.
Dried goods: Rice, beans, peas, soup mixes, spaghetti, pasta, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, instant scalloped and mashed potatoes, flour, sugar, cake/muffin/pancake mixes, dried milk, boxed cereals, etc.
Baby goods, including: Baby formula and baby food, bottled and canned beverages
Paper goods, including: Plates, cups, napkins, paper towels, tissues, toilet tissues
Cleaning Products, including: Laundry detergent, dish soap, cleansers, reusable shopping bags

The Snack Rack Food Pantry is made possible through donations to the Community College of Philadelphia Foundation. If you’d be interested in becoming a donor, please give here. For donations to be directed to Snack Rack Food Pantry, add 'Snack Rack' in the comment box.

Food Sovereignty and Food Collaborative Team

Jenavia Weaver, Director, Student Engagement
Sabrina Severe, Student Engagement Coordinator
Ida Swindle, Office of Student Engagement, Administrative Associate III
Student Food Pantry and Grady's Community Garden Team Members: Jie Zhang, Nathan Williams, Guidinez Sahn, Bryant Randolph and Emily Ou.