Behind Every Meal Is a Mission of Care
At the University of San Francisco, the impact of generosity is often measured in scholarships awarded, opportunities created, and lives transformed. But sometimes, that impact begins with something as simple as a bag of groceries.
For Dr. Aja Holmes, assistant dean of students and director of community living, supporting students means recognizing that their success extends far beyond the classroom. Through her work with the USF Food Pantry, Holmes helps ensure that students facing food insecurity have access to essential resources, a welcoming community, and the dignity they deserve.
“Students should not have to choose between purchasing groceries, paying rent, buying textbooks, or covering other essential expenses,” Holmes said.
More Than a Meal
For many students, the rising cost of living in San Francisco creates difficult financial decisions. Even with financial aid or part-time employment, meeting everyday needs can be challenging.
The USF Food Pantry offers more than groceries. It provides a welcoming space where students can access support without judgment, connect with resources such as CalFresh application assistance, and find a community that cares.
This past spring alone, the Food Pantry recorded approximately 600 visits from more than 250 students, demonstrating the importance of sustained support.
“Behind every visit is a student whose basic needs matter,” Holmes says. “Donor generosity helps us continue showing up for those students, not just once, but consistently throughout their USF experience.”
The People Behind the Impact
While donors make this work possible, dedicated campus leaders like Holmes help transform generosity into meaningful, everyday experiences.
Holmes envisions a future where the food pantry grows into an even more vibrant community hub, with expanded space, cooking demonstrations, access to everyday essentials, and opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and volunteers to connect.
From sharing recipes using pantry staples to fostering partnerships across campus, her vision is rooted in something greater than food distribution: belonging.
And the USF community has an important role to play in bringing that vision to life.
Alumni and friends can make a difference through financial contributions, volunteering, or organizing food and essential-supply drives in their workplaces and communities.
An Investment in Every Student's Future
Every gift represents an investment not only in a student's immediate well-being but also in their long-term potential.
“Our students are talented, hardworking, resilient individuals with tremendous potential,” she says. “They are future educators, health professionals, business leaders, community advocates, and changemakers.”
Behind every pantry visit is a story still being written, and behind every student supported is a community choosing to invest in their success.
Help nourish the next generation of changemakers. Make a gift to the USF Food Pantry and help ensure that every student has the resources and support to thrive.
