Connect Center Hosted Events in Collaboration with Abilities Club and Several Guttman Offices
New York, N.Y. (November 26, 2025) – The Connect Center at Guttman Community College, part of The City University of New York (CUNY), held several food distribution events this month benefiting hundreds of students at the College. The events were held leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Students cannot perform their best academically when they’re hungry,” said Interim President Elizabeth de León Bhargava. “Food insecurity means our students are struggling to find meals for themselves and their families, and we don’t want them to have to choose between buying food or paying for transportation to attend class. I am grateful that we have come together as a community to provide critical support that will help these students continue to thrive.”
The month kicked off with a Grizzly Giving event on November 18, in which 43 students enjoyed a sit-down meal of baked salmon, shredded beef stew, empanadas and more from Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine. The event was organized by the Connect Center along with the Counseling and Wellness Center.
An event titled United in Gratitude: The Abilities Club and Connect Center Give Back Event was held Wednesday, November 19. Students who participated received free fresh fruit, vegetables and eggs and enjoyed games such as Giant Jenga.
A Thanksgiving Meal Giveaway was held on November 25 with generous food donations provided by Food 1st in coordination with Community Board 5, SL Green Realty Corp. and Kasirer. Prepared and packaged Thanksgiving themed meals included meat and vegetarian options as well as Halal meals that students could take home for themselves and their families. The event was coordinated by various campus offices, including the Connect Center, Office of the President, CUNY Edge, Office of Advising & Transfer Support and Office of Financial Aid.
Additionally, thanks to a Petrie Foundation Food Insecurity grant, the Connect Center distributed 120 individually packaged meals from ReThink Food, an organization that repurposes donated restaurant food with a focus on sustainability. The grant funding began this month and will support additional food initiatives through October 2027.
Managed by the Connect Center, the on-campus Grizzly Pantry received over 4,500 visits during the 2024-25 academic year. Since the start of the current semester in September, the pantry has received more than 1,600 visits — an almost 17% increase compared to the same time last year. In addition to offering free fresh and shelf-stable food items, the pantry provides gently used clothing and everyday personal hygiene items to help cover students’ essential needs.
The Grizzy Pantry is one of 20 food pantries offered across CUNY campuses, and all are open to CUNY students and employees throughout the year. Hours and information can be found on CUNY’s website.
Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is CUNY’s first new community college in more than forty years. Reimagining what community college could be, Guttman opened its doors in Manhattan in August 2012 to create a research-based, innovative model focused on moving students efficiently toward graduation. Offering associate degree programs in a nurturing environment, the College provides holistic support and advising to ensure timely degree completion, and most graduates transfer to senior colleges. Guttman is federally designated as a Hispanic-serving institution and minority-serving institution with more than 90% of the student population identifying as Latine, Black/African American or Asian. WalletHub ranked Guttman the #1 community college in New York State for 2025, and Niche.com named Guttman the best community college in America in 2020 and the top community college in New York State in 2021.
