A community partner is stepping up to help Fresno State battle student hunger by launching a campaign — March Match-Up – that will raise funds for the Student Cupboard during March.

Fresno-based accounting firm Morse Wittwer Sampson, LLP has promised to match, dollar-for-dollar, every monetary gift given to the Student Cupboard up to $50,000 through March 31.

The Student Cupboard provides Fresno State students with free perishable and non-perishable food items and hygiene products five days a week. It is one of the initiatives under the Food Security Project that aims to increase student access to affordable, nutritious food.

A 2012 study by Alida Espinoza, part-time professor in the Department of Public Health, found that approximately 31 percent of Fresno State students surveyed did not know where their next meal was coming from.

University First Lady Mary Castro, who champions the Student Cupboard and is spearheading the Match-Up Drive, said the cupboard’s services have impacted over 70,000 individuals since it opened in late 2014.

“We have had students tell us that the Student Cupboard has made the difference between them staying in college or leaving,” said Castro.

Fresno State alumni Chris Morse and Ken Wittwer wanted to give back to the University and support student success. After meeting with the First Lady they chose to support the Student Cupboard.

“The Student Cupboard addresses a real need on-campus and helps the entire student body, so we felt it was an area we wanted to support,” said Morse. “Through this matching campaign, there is an opportunity to make a big difference in the lives of Fresno State students.”

They also made a PSA for the campaign: PSAhttps://youtu.be/K5eCcdVD_kQ.

To donate to the campaign, visit https://fresnostate.scalefunder.com/cfund/project/4818.

For more information about the campaign, contact David Hembree at 559.278.5052 or mdhembree@csufresno.edu.

For the cupboard, which is located in the Grosse Industrial Technology Building, room 144 (Barstow and Jackson Dr.), contact Jessica Medina at 559.278.6621.

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