Cross-campus efforts help fill The Cupboard
Friday, December 12, 2025
photos by Rob Hinkal, social media specialist, and Amy S. Lingg, dining services marketing and systems specialist
Food collected through a Student Government Association drive during Dining Services' Give to The Cupboard campaign.
The Cupboard helped approximately 380 students during the fall semester, which is a 50% increase over Fall 2024. With the increasing need, donations to The Cupboard are just as important as ever to help Penn College students who are facing food insecurity.
In November, Dining Services kicked off a Give to The Cupboard campaign, encouraging the college community to support this much-needed service to our students. During November and December, the campus community answered this call in a big way with nonperishable food and monetary donations.
- As part of Restorative Justice Week, the Human Services & Restorative Justice Club collected food donations in exchange for parking tickets. With the support of Penn College Police, students could “pay” their $15 parking fines with a donation of five non-perishable items for The Cupboard.
- The College Store offered a 30% discount during their Wildcat Holiday Sale. Customers who donated at least three nonperishable items received the discount on their in-store purchase.
- They may be little, but they have big-hearts. Children from the Children’s Learning Center took a mini field trip to The Cupboard to present their donation and to check out the “store that doesn’t sell junk food.”
- Student Government Association coordinated a food drive by providing donation boxes to interested offices and student organizations. The association then collected and transported all items to The Cupboard. Participants included: Hospitality Connections Club, Medical Imaging Club, Society of Plastic Engineers, Academic Affairs, Admissions, College Health Services, College Relations, Counseling Services, Dental Hygiene Clinic, Disability & Access Resources, Madigan Library, Office of Student Engagement, President’s Office, Strategic Marketing & Communications, School of Business, Arts & Sciences, and Workforce Development
- Additional nonperishable food and monetary donations were made by the School of Nursing & Health Sciences, Financial Operations, General Services, and many individual and anonymous donors. With each donation, donors were asked to fill out a Thanksgiving card to add to The Giving Wall.
- The Cupboard also received a $3,000 Swipe Out Hunger Grant, which provides financial support and emergency meals in the college’s dining facilities to students in dire need of food.
The Dunham Children’s Learning Center’s Butterflies class poses in front of The Giving Wall during a visit to deliver their donation for the on-campus food pantry. Those donating during Dining Services’ recent Give to The Cupboard campaign were encouraged to fill out a card to be placed on the wall.
Autumn L. Hampton, the dining services manager who oversees The Cupboard, gives a tour to The Butterflies class.
Staff and students from across campus gather with the more than 3,700 food items gathered for The Cupboard through a food drive coordinated by SGA. Represented in the photo are Academic Affairs, Admissions, College Health Services, Dining Services, Facilities & Events, the Medical Imaging Club, the Office of Student Engagement, the President’s Office, Student Affairs, Workforce Development, and SGA.