Campus food access initiatives support Hokies and local communities

While over 8 percent of Virginians experience food insecurity, nearly double that percentage of students at Virginia Tech have reported having low or very low food security.

Two Student Affairs programs at Virginia Tech help address those issues. 

Student options for food access

The Market of Virginia Tech, directed by a food access lead team across VT Engage and the Dean of Students Office, was established in 2020 with a gift from alumni Hema and Mehul Sanghani to support students experiencing food insecurity. 

Undergraduate or graduate students can contact the Dean of Students office to explore assistance for basic needs, including enrolling for The Market.

“We're working toward food justice,” said Isabelle Largen, assistant director of food access initiatives for VT Engage, “so we don't ask students to prove their need when they enroll. We just ask if they have a need.” 

A core of sustaining impact from the Sanghani endowment, multiplied by ongoing individual donations, allows the enrolled market to serve over 115 students each semester in its current space on a first enrolled, first served basis.

To extend food access to all students in need, The Market continues to seek a broader base of supporters who want to ensure that food insecurity doesn’t limit student achievement or quality of life.

The Market has three initiatives to serve students. The original initiative provides market pickups for enrolled students in a small-scale grocery store feel. 

Participants receive a variety of produce, proteins, dairy and dairy alternatives, and shelf stable items weekly. 

A 2023 gift from Matt Mulherin ’81 and Liz Mulherin established a pilot for a second initiative, the open market model, which serves nonperishable and low-preparation items at the same near-campus location as the enrolled market.

“It’s more like a traditional food pantry model,” said Largen, “because it’s open to students without enrolling. They just walk in and swipe their Hokie Passport.” Summer open market hours are available for all students, even if not enrolled in summer classes.

The Mulherins saw the potential for the open market model to increase food access options for students.

“Food insecurity is an issue everywhere, including here at Virginia Tech,” said Matt Mulherin, who graduated from the College of Engineering. “What we found were some very creative, energetic and innovative Hokies working on the issue. We were excited to help fund some of their ideas in support our Hokie community.” 

The third initiative, a pop-up market, brings the open market model to the Blacksburg campus during finals when students are busiest and when their food budgets and dining plans are being exhausted.

Students can follow updates to all market initiatives at the Virginia Tech food access website and Instagram account @vtfoodaccess.

All the food security initiatives serve essential student needs as part of the Virginia Tech Advantage commitment to offer a broad educational experience for undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need.

To support food access initiatives at Virginia Tech, you can contribute online. 

Data support effective service

The food access lead team tracks service volumes, food costs, and anonymized demographic data for each food access initiative. “So if a supporter is specifically interested in, for example, first-generation student success,” said Largen, “we can share how many first-generation students in a semester used each food access program.”

A 2021 food security study co-led by Ralph Hall, professor of urban affairs and planning, found that at Virginia Tech, 16 percent of undergraduate and graduate students were classified as having low or very low food security based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

 The study also reflected that different demographic groups are likely to experience food insecurity at differing rates. 

“We want to know if those rates are reflected in our service data,” said Largen, “and if not, why not?"

Recent research in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences showed that barriers to food access impact Virginia Tech students’ quality of life, including academic success. Surveys of students in that research reflected that many were not aware of food resources on campus.

“When participant data shows that groups are using The Market at a lower rate than observed demographics for food insecurity,” said Largen, “the food access lead team coordinates with other Student Affairs programs or other university areas that work with those groups to help ensure that we're reaching them where they are and that they’re comfortable using our services.”

Besides offering easier access and visibility to students, the open market and pop-up initiatives generate more comprehensive data about student needs because students participate without pre-enrollment requirements or limits.

Sharing to serve local communities

VT Engage partners with Virginia Tech Dining Services to serve local communities through Campus Kitchen at Virginia Tech. The program increases food access and reduces food waste by redirecting unserved food from campus dining centers to food pantries in Virginia’s New River Valley. One of those pantries is The Market at Virginia Tech, directly benefiting students in need.

“Despite all efforts to reduce food waste in our dining centers, there will inevitably be some food that is unserved,” said Emily Williams, sustainability manager for Dining Services. “This is where VT Engage and Campus Kitchen help us use that food to support our community and the university’s Climate Action Commitment Goals.”

Dining Services employees, Campus Kitchen student and staff volunteers, and organizers with Dining Services and VT Engage collaborate to make the program a success, while providing student volunteers with transformational community-engaged learning experiences.

Since launching in fall 2015, more than 500 mostly student volunteers have served over 9,700 hours with Campus Kitchen, diverting more than 300,000 pounds of food from campus to community.

Want to support educational access at Virginia Tech?

Food assistance is one of many ways we can work together to create a brighter future by supporting those who will lead it — our students. Help bridge the gap between attending Virginia Tech and fully experiencing it by giving back in a way that is meaningful to you through Virginia Tech Advantage, one of two presidential priorities aimed at moving our university forward. Make a gift today.