New York Institute of Technology’s Bear Bytes initiative provides food and other health and wellness resources and information to students at our New York campuses. A collaborative effort among campus partners, New York Tech Campus Dining Services, the School of Management Student Advisory Board, and community resources, Bear Bytes promotes and supports proper nutrition and wellness that are essential to academic success.

• Smart Meals Program
• Grizzly Cupboard
• Food & Nutritional Information
• Government Resources

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Smart Meals Program

The Smart Meals program offers individualized assistance to students at the New York campuses, helping to identify and explore potential financial resources to be used to purchase food items. If you think you might benefit from this program, contact the Office of the Dean of Students and we can explore the options available to you!

All information will remain confidential to the staff responsible for providing assistance.

Grizzly Cupboard

The Grizzly Cupboard, New York Institute of Technology’s food pantry, is a welcoming, inclusive and confidential on-campus location that offers free, wholesome, and healthy nonperishable food items.

• Food provided by the Grizzly Cupboard is free-of-charge to all enrolled students at our Long Island and New York City campuses.
• Food packages may be picked up directly from the Grizzly Cupboard by appointment or delivered to students, free of charge.
• Food is offered on a no-questions-asked basis. Following your third request, however, you will be asked to speak with staff from the Office of Counseling and Wellness or the Office of Financial Aid to discuss additional resource and assistance options.
• You will be able to receive a food package from the Grizzly Cupboard once per week. We will provide recommendations for how much food can be obtained during a visit based upon household size. We aim to provide nine meals per person (three meals for three days) at each visit. For reference, see the “How to Pack a Balanced Pantry Bag.”
• No food-related assistance, from any of the Bear Bytes programs, will have an impact on your financial aid package.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, there is a virtual process to obtain food from the Grizzly Cupboard located on the Long Island and New York City campuses.

• You must sign up to use the food pantry via the Food Pantry Application once per academic year.
• To request a food package, you must complete a Food Package Request Form. You are able to request a food package, once per week when the Grizzly Cupboard is open.
• You will be provided with a food package pick-up time based on your availability and the Grizzly Cupboard’s hours of operation.
• New York Tech has partnered with Invisible Hands to deliver food from the Grizzly Cupboard to New York Tech students. Invisible Hands is a non-profit organization that delivers groceries and other essential items to populations especially vulnerable to COVID-19. If you are interested in using this service, please indicate this on the Food Package Request Form.

Grizzly Cupboard Application
Food Package Request Form

Grizzly Cupboard Locations and Hours

If you have any questions regarding the Grizzly Cupboard, please email bearbytesli@nyit.edu or bearbytesnyc@nyit.edu to make alternate arrangements.

Thank you to our partners:

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Food & Nutritional Information

• On-Campus Dining Options: Non-residential students can enroll in the Commuter Plus meal plan to receive tax-free benefits when dining on campus.

• Healthy Eating: Students can refer to the following websites for information on healthy eating, eating on a budget, and meal ideas.

  Eat Right

  USDA

  ChooseMyPlate

• Hunger Free America Online Food Assistance Resource
• Food Bank For New York City
• United Way of Long Island
• United Way of NYC
• Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap Cookbook (English)
• Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap Cookbook (Spanish)

Government Resources

SNAP Benefits:The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance for low-income individuals, families, people who are aging, and people with disabilities, helping them to supplement the cost of their diet with nutritious foods. Please click here for more information, or one of these links to be redirected to specific info about SNAP Benefits in your state.

• New York
• New Jersey
• Connecticut
• Pennsylvania
• Florida
• Other States

Local government resources: Visit these sites for up-to-date information about programs and resources to help with food, housing, and other necessities.

• New York State Residents:
  
  • ny.gov/services
  • nycommonpantry.org
• New York City Residents:
  
  • nyc.gov
  • NYC Department of Education – Free Meals for Any New Yorker
• Nassau County Residents: Long Island Cares for food resources
• Suffolk County Residents: suffolkcountyny.gov for general information and Long Island Cares for food resources

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