Frequent Asked Questions

Developed in 2014 by the Food Insecuriteis Committee, the Husky Food Access Network (FAN) is a non-profit organization funded by donations to combat food insecurity on the Michigan Tech campus. The Husky Fan provides multiple resource for our campus community including the food pantry and emergency food resources. 

While the pantry is located on campus, it is available to anyone. No paperwork or approval is required.

We are located in Fisher Hall on the first floor across the hallway from Fisher 135 (behind the glass wall, by the vending machines). 

The Husky Food Pantry will be open for limited hours and services this fall. Please refer to the order form for available hours. We will be open for pick up times during the week based on volunteer availability. 

 Individuals in need of food are encouraged to pick up Emergency Meal Packs from Public Safety and Police Services. Check the FAQs for more details. If you have specific questions or needs, please reach out to huskyfan@mtu.edu and we'll do our best to accommodate and serve you.

The pantry carries a variety of dry beans and rice, canned fruit and vegetables, shelf-stable pasta, cereal, and proteins. 

If you cannot make it during the times that the pantry is open you can always pick up an emergency meal packet from Michigan Tech Public Safety and Police Services. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If you are experiencing other accessibility issues, please email huskyfan@mtu.edu so we can help.

When you arrive, you will be greeted by a volunteer. We do our best to maintain confidentiality during your visit. You will be asked to tap your Michigan Tech ID, but will not be required to in order to receive food. You will be welcomed in behind the counter. You can take your time selecting items. There is no limit to how many items you may take, we ask that you take what you need as we want to be a resource to as many people as possible. You will select items, and place them on the counter to be weighed. We encourage you to bring a reusable bag, but we do have bags and boxes to transport your items.  The food pantry is open dependent on volunteer availability. Our hours are posted on our website as well as Facebook and Instagram. If you have issues with our hours, please contact us at huskyfan@mtu.edu.

We are collecting demographic information (age/gender/class standing) and time of use which we use to help us better serve the community. We won’t collect any data that ties your name or M number to your visit and our volunteer is unable to see any data.

A Food Bank is an organization that collects product from the food industry and food drives, inventories and stores it, and distributes it to agencies – such as food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters – that provide food directly to individuals in need. A food bank has the capacity to distribute millions of pounds of grocery product every year. Food banks make it easy for agencies to obtain nutritious food at low cost in the quantities they need for their clients.

A Food Pantry is an individual site that distributes bags or boxes of food directly to those in need who reside in a specified area. A food pantry is a member agency of, and obtains food from, a food bank. Both food pantries and food banks share the same commitment: to provide food to those in need.

Michigan Tech and its Alumni are committed to providing support to students who are experiencing a financial emergency due to unforeseen circumstances; these funds are not intended to meet an unmet Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or to pay for school supplies. Three funds are available depending on student type:

Betty Chavis Emergency Fund: Available to domestic undergraduate and master's students.

International Student Emergency Fund: Available to international undergraduate and graduate students.

Graduate School Emergency Fund (Loan Program): Available to domestic or international graduate students.

There are many different ways to help Husky FAN! You can host a drive, volunteer in the pantry, or help work events! If you are interested in any of those options, or have your own ideas to share, please contact huskyfan@mtu.edu.

Yes! We do ask that you contact Husky FAN first to coordinate a time to host your food drive so we don’t have multiple going on at one time (our storage space is limited!) We are happy to find a time to make it happen!

Meal swipes are prepaid meal passes to the dining halls. A set number are released every week and it functions on a first come, first served basis. Once they are gone for that week they are gone, and we cannot guarantee that anyone will receive meal swipes. Please see our Meal Swipe page for more information on how to register for them.

NOTE: Starting in spring 2019, in order to serve as many students as possible, 5 meal swipes/week with a 15/semester maximum may be requested per student.

Please contact us by email at huskyfan@mtu.edu