Grant Expands Food Access For Students At CSUSB Palm Desert Campus

PALM DESERT, CA — A $25,000 impact grant awarded to California State University, San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus will benefit students experiencing food insecurity.

The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation grant will help fund the campus's DEN Food Pantry and add a grab-and-go food refrigerator near the student center, officials announced.

Staple grocery items being stocked at the DEN include rice, pasta, canned proteins, fruits, vegetables, cereal, and other essentials. The refrigerator will be placed near the Rancho Mirage Student Center, providing access to food on the opposite side of campus from the DEN, where students already spend time.

“Food insecurity can directly affect a student’s academic performance, physical health and mental well-being,” said Edna Martinez, associate vice president at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus. “This grant from the Berger Foundation allows us to improve and expand an existing resource for our students while they are attending classes at the Palm Desert Campus.”