Food assistance
Six places across NSW handing out free groceries and meals — five on campus, plus community programs open to anyone, student or not.
Arc Food Hub, UNSW Kensington
Every service on this page is free, and none of them asks you to prove hardship. If groceries are stretching you thin this week, that is reason enough.
MASCA NSW does not run a pantry of its own. What we do is keep this list current, so you do not have to find out three months late that your campus has been giving away food the whole time.
Nearly every NSW university runs a pantry now. Most need you to register online first, and most run during semester only.
Free pantry of fresh and non-perishable food. Mon & Wed 2–4pm, Fri 12–2pm at Gate Two Ave, Kensington. UNSW students go first; anyone else, including community members, is welcome in the last 45 minutes of each session.
Register for UNSWFive free items per visit, seven if you donate through FoodHub+. Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, Level 3 Wentworth Building, plus satellite campuses including Westmead, Camden and Nepean. Registration opens two hours before each session.
Register for USydFree and heavily discounted groceries through a Foodbank partnership — tinned goods, grains, pasta, fresh produce and pantry staples. Register online and pick a collection slot. Stock depends on donations, so it varies week to week.
Register for MacquarieLaid out like a small grocery shop. Five free items a week, covering food, hygiene products and household basics. Wed & Thu 12–2pm during semester, Building 2 Level 3, Ultimo. Registration closes 11:59pm every Sunday.
Register for UTSFree food and essentials priced in points rather than dollars. UOW also runs free breakfasts, hot meals and snacks around campus — just show your student ID. Student Support Coordinators can arrange emergency food if things are urgent.
See UOW supportAlmost every campus pantry needs an online booking, and several close registrations days ahead. Turning up without one usually means turning around.
Rice, flour and sugar are often handed out in bulk from bins. No container, no bulk items. Bring more than you think you need.
Campus services check it at collection. The community programs in the section above do not.
Most campus pantries run during semester only and close over the summer and winter breaks — exactly when students are most likely to need them.
No. None of these services asks for a means test or documents. Cost of living is reason enough, and that is exactly what they were set up for.
Your registration goes to the service running the pantry, not to your faculty. It does not affect your enrolment, your visa or your academic record in any way.
Not always, and most pantries do not label it. Fresh produce, rice, pasta, tinned vegetables, eggs and bread are usually safe. Check packaged meat and ready meals yourself, and ask the volunteers — they are generally happy to tell you what came from where.
Search your university's name plus “food pantry” or “food hub” — most NSW universities run one. If yours does not, the community programs above are open to you, and your student association welfare officer will know what else is local.
Only UNSW, and only in the last 45 minutes of a session. The others are for their own enrolled students. Do not make a wasted trip.
Usually not — most services cap items per person per visit so there is enough to go around. Better that each of you registers separately.
Times, locations and eligibility change, especially between semesters. Every card links to the source — check it before you travel. If you find something here that is out of date, tell us and we will fix it.
The welfare team can point you to emergency support, hardship grants and free counselling at your university. One message, no judgement.