As a UC Davis parent, you understand better than anyone the importance of supporting our students and ensuring their basic needs are met—so they can thrive in the classroom, on campus, and beyond.

One impactful service doing exactly that is The ASUCD Pantry—a student-run, student-led organization dedicated to providing food and essential items to UC Davis students. Created to ease financial strain, The Pantry helps ensure that no student has to choose between buying a textbook and having a meal.

“The Pantry is incredibly important for so many different reasons,” said Andie Tarabzooni, an economics and communications major and the director of The Pantry. “People might assume we only serve undergraduates, but it goes beyond that. Our services are open to any UC Davis affiliate, meaning we regularly have faculty and postdoctoral students accessing our services. It shows that no matter where we are in life or how stable we might think we are, we are all subject to the real struggle of food or financial insecurity.”

The Pantry currently supports approximately 5,300 students, recording between 16,000 and 20,000 UC Davis ID swipes each quarter. Yet the need continues to grow. “We can order over $400 worth of food daily and still not be able to serve everyone who comes in,” Tarabzooni said. “It’s why we have lines before we even open.”

This growing demand highlights just how essential parent support is at UC Davis. Your generosity doesn’t just benefit your own student—it strengthens the entire UC Davis community by supporting student well-being, academic success, and a healthier campus environment.

As the academic year comes to a close, your support is more important than ever. Together, we can ensure that all Aggies finish the year strong—with their basic needs met and their future wide open.

Thank you for all you do as a UC Davis parent. Go Ags!

With warm regards,

Tessa

For more information about how parent giving makes a difference in students’ lives, contact Tessa Haden, Associate Director of Development, Parent Giving, at thaden@ucdavis.edu, 530-304-5382.