Radford University’s Highlander Pantry recently received a major boost to its efforts to better serve the university community.
Hunger Free Campus, a pilot initiative passed by the Virginia legislature during the 2025 General Assembly session, granted $14,882 to the pantry, which provides discreet access to free food items for all members of the Highlander family.
The funds are part of an award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), which, in January, granted $500,000 to address food insecurity at 48 public and private higher education institutions in the commonwealth.
“More than 40% of college students experience food insecurity at some point, which can lead to several adverse outcomes, including dropping out of school,” said SCHEV Executive Director Scott Fleming in a news release. “Virginia’s investment in campus food pantries will help keep our students on track to reach their educational goals.”
The grant enables the Highlander Pantry to purchase additional food items and a new freezer, said Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Bruce Hayden, who oversees the pantry.
Additional partnerships with Chartwells, Food City and other community helpers have also enabled the pantry to grow its stock. “Right now, we have lots and lots of soup,” Hayden said, before listing a plethora of items from which Highlanders may choose. “We have pasta, frozen meals, milk, peanut butter, tuna, rice, beans, mac and cheese. It’s a full pantry, and it’s a true grocery store experience.”
“One thing we always tell students is, ‘Yeah, we have granola bars, and you can come by and get one,’ the dean continued, “but we also have food that can sustain you for a while.”
The pantry’s partnership with Chartwells has provided an additional $7,600 through the Boost program, Hayden explained. That money allowed for the purchase of three palettes of Campbell’s soup.
Operating a university pantry requires many partners working together. “It’s all about partnerships,” Hayden acknowledged, “because it takes a lot of time, energy and money to operate a pantry.”
In addition, Highlander Pantry partners with Feeding America and Feeding Southwest Virginia.
Located near the Dean of Students office in Heth Hall, Highlander Pantry is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with additional hours on Sundays.
Hayden encourages individual students and those from clubs and organizations to volunteer their time at the pantry, enabling it to be open for additional hours. “We’ve found that students feel more comfortable in the pantry when other students are working there,” he said.
Individuals interested in volunteering should contact the Dean of Students office at wbhayden@radford.edu.
Highlander Pantry epitomizes the spirit of the university’s culture of care, the dean explained, because “it’s Highlanders helping Highlanders. We’re all in this together. It’s all about giving back, helping out and being there for each other.”