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Don’t want any swag? You can make a gift of any amount to support the Redwood Free Market by clicking “Feed students!" at the top right of the page.
Food insecurity threatens one in three college students nationally. Closer to home, 48% of UC Santa Cruz undergraduates say they don’t have consistent access to food. This problem has both physical and academic consequences—when students don’t have consistent access to food, their well-being and studies are impacted. The Redwood Free Market is a free resource for students, allowing them to take what they need from the pantry at no cost. Visitors have access to fresh produce, dry goods, and other pantry items.
Students rely on the Redwood Free Market to keep themselves nourished and healthy. During the 22/23 school year, the market logged 10,181 visits. The Redwood Free Market is a critical resource for student success.
There was a 20% increase in visits to the food pantry over the previous year.
“You obviously can’t study if you’re hungry—or if you’re wondering where your next meal is coming from. For some people, something as basic as access to food is not basic. The Redwood Free Market helps keep students here so they can finish their degrees and move on to bigger and better things.”
–Estefanía Rodriguez, Basic Needs Program Manager
UC Santa Cruz partners with the local food bank to purchase food for the Redwood Free Market. Thanks to this partnership, every dollar donated to the Redwood Free Market goes even further. Every $1 donated provides 4 meals for a student in need.
The contributions of donors have allowed the market to expand their offerings. A personal care product dispenser has been introduced, providing those in need with free soap, detergent, and more.
As a thank you for your gift, you can choose to receive a UCSC blanket at the $50 level or a pair of slug socks at the $20 level. You’ll feed a student for a week and get exclusive UCSC merch. Don’t want any swag? You can make a gift of any amount to support the Redwood Free Market by clicking “Feed students!”.
See a close-up of the blanket design here.
Check out a live sample of what the woven texture looks like.
Your gift of $5.25 will provide meals for a student for a week
For a gift of $20, you will receive a pair of UCSC Slug socks and feed a student for a week!
For a gift of $50, you will receive a UCSC branded blanket and feed a student for a week!
For a gift of $70, you will receive a UCSC branded blanket and pair of Slug socks, and feed two students for a week!