A-SCHOOL FOOD PANTRY

WHAT IS FOOD INSECURITY?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as not having enough food to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. College students may experience food insecurity for many, and often very complex reasons, and resulting in students’ choosing between spending money on food or bills/medicine/healthcare, eating fewer meals, or eating less expensive and less healthy processed foods.

HOW DOES FOOD INSECURITY AFFECT STUDENTS?

Rising inflation has increased the cost of common household goods, including food, requiring some students to choose between academic costs and basic human needs. These factors can make students with limited income more vulnerable to taking leaves of absence, withdrawing from the university, or taking on larger workloads to generate income to meet their basic needs. Students who delay or are unsuccessful in graduating forfeit (in both the short- and long-term) increased earnings potential that baccalaureate-prepared students often experience over employees without a baccalaureate degree. The same holds true for students seeking graduate degrees. As well, reduced earnings and high debt levels can have long-lasting effects on students’ ability to repay school loans and thereby limit their ability to contribute to the economic vitality of their communities. Students who remain enrolled yet take larger workloads to meet their basic needs are often disadvantaged in participating in extra-curricular and co-curricular experiences since a greater portion of their time is dedicated to paid employment. Furthermore, a lack of extra- and co-curricular experiences may not only reduce direct student engagement and affinity with the university but may also increase the likelihood that these students are underemployed upon graduation since they miss out on critical social and professional development experiences.

Image

Image

Image

THE A-SCHOOL FOOD PANTRY'S MISSION

We are committed to improving the student experience such that our students not just survive but thrive. In alignment with the A-School’s priority to make the school accessible and affordable, the A-School’s goals to increase student diversity and expand student resources, and UVA’s 2030 Strategic Plan to recruit and support students “regardless of their economic circumstances,” the A-School offers a satellite food pantry in Campbell Hall to support students who experience food insecurity.

VISIT THE PANTRY

LOCATION

The A-School Food Pantry is located on the first floor of Campbell Hall between rooms 153 and 158.

HOURS

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Fall 2024: August 26–December 15, 2024
Spring 2025: January 13–May 15, 2025

All other times by appointment. Contact sarc-studentaffairs@virginia.edu to schedule a time during business hours to visit the food pantry.

WHAT WE OFFER

We stock healthy shelf-stable food that can be prepared at home such as canned fruit and vegetables, beans, rice, pasta and pasta sauces, peanut butter, oatmeal, soup, seasonings, milk, muffins, and tuna and chicken pouches.

A UNIVERSITY-WIDE NETWORK

The A-School Food Pantry operates as a formal partner with the UVA Community Food Pantry. While the primary focus of the A-School Food Pantry is to serve School of Architecture students, as a satellite pantry, any student from across Grounds who is experiencing food insecurity may use this resource.

OTHER RESOURCES

UVA Student Affairs provides a comprehensive and updated list of resources on- and off-Grounds for students who are experiencing food insecurity.

Contact Carolyn Buchanan (cbuchanan@virginia.edu) to learn about what other sources of financial support may be available to you.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

DONATE

View our most in-demand needs on our online Walmart Wishlist. Simply add items that you wish to donate to your cart and either select delivery to have your donation automatically shipped to the School of Architecture, or pick up items from the list and bring to Campbell Hall 201.

FOOD DRIVES

Student organizations, alumni, and any A-School community group may host food drives to support the A-School Food Pantry. Please contact sarc-studentaffairs@virginia.edu before holding your food drive to coordinate logistics with the School of Architecture.

CONTACT

The A-School Food Pantry is operated through the UVA School of Architecture Student Affairs Team. Email sarc-studentaffairs@virginia.edu for assistance.