Grad21

Food assistance to graduate students (and their families) who find themselves in unexpected need is available at G21 Bond Hall. — The Cultivate room (G21 Bond Hall) provides food assistance to graduate students (and their families) who find themselves in unexpected need.

Grad21 is a part of the Your Research Matters — You Matter initiative of the Graduate School and is designed to provide food assistance at no cost to graduate students and their families who, for whatever reason, have a hard time obtaining regular, healthy meals. This situation could be the result of a short-term disruption in finances, residing in a food desert, or a lack of access to other financial assistance.

The program is a partnership between the University of Notre Dame Graduate School and Cultivate Food Rescue, a local South Bend organization whose mission is to meet the nutritional needs of the community. Grad21 seeks to ensure that graduate students in need — as well as their families — are able to obtain three meals a day, seven days a week. With the support of the Cultivate team, the program will provide well-balanced, frozen meals that can be anonymously taken and reheated in any microwave.

See list of frequently asked questions below for additional program information, or contact the Graduate School at gradsch@nd.edu or (574) 631-7544. Please join the optional Grad21 announcement list if you would like to receive updates on program/schedule changes or building access.

How do I qualify for this resource?

Any graduate student who is having difficulty in obtaining regular, healthy meals is eligible for this resource. Examples of difficulty include a short-term disruption in finances, residing in a food desert, or a lack of access to other financial assistance.

When and where can I pick up meals?

When: Bond Hall open hours may vary during football home game weekends and campus holidays.

Regular building hours: Open 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM, 7 days a week.
Home football game weekends: Closed 4:30 PM Friday to 7:00 PM Monday.
Thanksgiving and Easter holidays: Open regular building hours.
Christmas break 2023: Closed Friday Dec., 22 – Monday, Jan 1. Regular hours will resume Tuesday, January 2.

Where: The Grad21 resources are housed in room G21 in Bond Hall (on the ground floor). Enter the building via the accessible ground floor entrance or Bond Quad Stairs entrance on the front (east) side of the building and turn right. G21 will be the first door on your left. (Look for the green Cultivate sign in the window, pictured above.)

Bond Hall: Southeast side entrances — Bond Hall has two entrances on the southeast side of the building: an accessible ground floor ramp entrance, and one that opens to a landing on the Bond Quad Stairs.

How many meals can I receive?

You can take any number of meals, but we suggest 6 meals at a time.

How should I transport the meals?

We have bags available for you in G21. Once meals are out of the freezer, they should be stored in another freezer within 6 hours.

How do I prepare the frozen meals?

Meals can be heated in any microwave oven. Instructions for heating will be on meal packaging.

Do I have to give any personal information when picking up meals?

No, this is an anonymous resource.

Will there be meals available for people with food allergies?

Currently, there are no meals that cater to food allergies. If you have food allergies and are in need of food assistance, please complete an emergency support request here.

What types of meals are available?

There are a variety of meals available and all meals have a protein, a starch, and a vegetable.

What can I do to express my gratitude for this resource?

You can volunteer at Cultivate Food Rescue so other food insecure members of the South Bend community can have access to three meals a day.