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The Campus Kitchen at Virginia Tech

A student loads a food delivery bag into the Campus Kitchen van.

What we do

The Campus Kitchen program is a partnership between VT Engage and Virginia Tech Dining Services. Campus Kitchen works to increase food access and to reduce food waste by redirecting unserved food from on-campus dining centers to hunger relief agencies in the New River Valley. Since launching in fall 2015, we have worked with various dining and community partners. Currently, we:

  • Diverted 263,000 pounds (and counting!) of quality, unserved food from campus to community. Curious how much that is? Well, the average female African elephant is 6,600 pounds – so that’s 40 elephants!
  • Worked with various hunger relief agencies and other nonprofits: Radford-Fairlawn Daily Bread, the Agape Center NRV, Plenty! Farm and Food Bank, YMCA Blacksburg, and Interfaith Food Pantry.
  • Worked with five Virginia Tech dining centers: Dietrick, Owens Food Court, Au Bon Pain, Southgate, and Chicken Hill.
Campus Kitchen at VT logo

Frequently Asked Questions

Unfortunately, our program is not set up to assist individuals. In order to reach the most amount of people, we work with local nonprofits to supplement their existing programs. If you are a current Virginia Tech student, please check out the following resources to assist you with getting your needs met:

  • The Dean of Students office: has two programs that may be able to support you. The Market of Virginia Tech is an initiative that provides students with weekly bags of groceries. Learn more about this program on the Dean of Students website. The office also offers emergency grants that help with issues such as food and housing needs. Contact the team at 540-231-3787 (after hours number: enter 540-231-6411 then press 1) or dean.students@vt.edu
  • 209 Marketplace at Virginia Tech: VT students can shop for food, toiletries, and school supplies each week at this pantry. While the organization is located inside a Methodist campus ministry, all are welcome. Learn more on their website.
  • Interfaith Food Pantry: qualified residents of Blacksburg and McCoy are welcome to shop at this pantry, which is open weekly Monday and Tuesday from 4–6 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday from 10–11:30 a.m.
  • Thrive/Food Access Network provides resources located throughout the New River Valley that can be utilized to increase access to food.

Campus Kitchen at Virginia Tech does not have a physical kitchen; rather, we work with campus dining centers to divert unserved food to community pantries and food access non-profits.

One in eight Virginians struggles with issues related to food security, and there is a great need in our region to increase food access for individuals and families.

Requests for accommodations & other questions

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, welcome! Please contact Izzy Largen at isabellelargen@vt.edu or 540-231-3086 at least 10 business days prior to the shift you have registered for.

All other questions may also be directed to Izzy. We look forward to having you participate in our programs!

Dry meals program

This Campus Kitchen program works with the New River Valley Agency on Aging’s Meals on Wheels initiative to provide prepared dry meals for the agency’s clients. These meals require only adding hot water, and are easily stored for later use.

Contact Campus Kitchen leadership at isabellelargen@vt.edu or jiakunyi@vt.edu to learn more.