In 2022, the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center opened at the UMKC Student Union as a centralized support hub designed to improve student well-being and ensure that no member of the UMKC community faces the stress of food insecurity alone.

The Care Center’s mission is simple but essential: ensure that members of the UMKC community facing food insecurity can access fresh produce and pantry staples at no cost. That mission directly advances the university’s commitment to student support services and helps cultivate the culture of care UMKC is known for. Its current hours are noon to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, with walk-in hours beginning at 3 p.m. Current students, faculty and staff are recommended to make an appointment online prior to their shopping trip.

“Students, faculty and staff are able to shop at the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center once per week,” said Carlen Fidler, Food Assistance Coordinator of the Care Center. “When they walk in, they can grab whatever items they need. We do have limits on certain items such as produce, milk, drinks, canned meats and snacks because those things are much harder for us to get. Also, they cost more money, and we get them less frequently. But things like soup or cereal, we have so much of it that we don't have to put a limit on it. And once you are done shopping you weigh it out before bagging it up and leaving.”

By removing the barrier of food insecurity, campus community members can focus more fully on their academic and personal development.

In the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, the Care Center distributed over 54,000 pounds of food, welcomed 4,742 total visits and supported nearly 900 individual guests. Its satellite pantry at the Health Sciences Campus expanded access even further, distributing almost 5,000 pounds of food.

Keeping the shelves stocked is a daily challenge but made possible through a network of community and campus partnerships. The center works closely with Harvesters, C&C Produce, Highland Dairy, Whole Foods, Hy-Vee and local organizations such as Our Savior Lutheran Church.

The Care Center also supports students through access partnerships beyond the pantry shelves. Through Swipe Out Hunger, students can receive donated meal swipes of up to three per semester for moments when a hot meal on campus is the most immediate need or if they do not have access to a kitchen. Last year, the center distributed 432 meal swipes.

“These partnerships are essential,” Fidler said. “It’s important for us to provide access to food beyond what students can cook at home.”

Even with strong partnerships, serving a growing student population with limited resources remains the center’s biggest challenge.

“I don’t have infinite money to buy everything students want or need,” Fidler said. “Ready-to-eat meals and snacks are our biggest request, but our partners don’t always have them, and I can’t just go out and buy them. If we had more funding for produce and canned proteins, we would.”

Still, Fidler is proud of how the center has adapted.

“We’ve rebounded from partnership losses and the campus community has really stepped up; they are invested in the Care Center and it is heartwarming to see that,” Fidler said.

Beyond food access, the Care Center has also become a place where students build relationships, develop leadership skills and find a sense of purpose.

“We’re not just a food access point,” Fidler said. “We’re also a community access point.”

Ambassadors at the Care Center take pride in the meaningful work that they do.

“When I began my freshman year, I had a hard time adjusting to UMKC, but the one place where I felt like I belonged was at the center,” said a Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center ambassador. “Being a KC native, I was involved in the community in multiple ways. However, volunteering at the Care Center allowed me to increase my knowledge about the reality of life and allowed me to make many new relationships with people in the community and make a difference in people’s lives. It has been a rewarding experience that I plan to hold onto for the rest of my life.”

The Care Center is powered by a network of professional staff, student employees and more than 80 volunteers whose services strengthens the sense of community the center strives to cultivate.

How the UMKC Community Can Help

• Volunteer: The Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center is heavily ran by volunteers. Faculty, staff or students who volunteer even just a couple hours of their time can make a real difference for our campus community.
• Donate food: The Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center maintains an updated list of high-need items on its website.
• Contribute financially: Monetary support helps the center purchase fresh produce, dairy and items not typically donated.
• Host a food drive: Various campus organizations such as UMKC Greek Life and UMKC Athletics have hosted food drives to gather donations for the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center.

The establishment of the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center was made possible through donations to the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Memorial Fund established in December 2020 and a personal donation made by Sue and Chancellor Mauli Agrawal to create an endowment. The fund recognizes and honors the life of Chancellor Agrawal’s mother, who was grateful for the opportunity to engage with the many generous friends and alumni of the university and cheer on UMKC students. To give to the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center monetarily, donate here.