Why donate?

• 1 in 6 EKU students experience food insecurity during the first semester on campus
• 21% of EKU students might need food assistance at some point during their college experience
• 10% of EKU students could benefit from regular food pantry assistance.

To learn more about the Cupboard, and how you can help, please visit our Colonel’s Cupboard page to find out about our mission and operations. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at colonelscupboard@eku.edu.

What does the Cupboard do?

The Colonel’s Cupboard at Eastern Kentucky University is a service of Student Life that provides food, toiletries, and clothing to currently enrolled students of the University (full or part-time) who are in need. The Cupboard will provide any student, who is worried or concerned about food security with food, clothing, and toiletry items, as well as connect them to other local services to help with longterm challenges they may be facing.

What is food insecurity?

Food insecurity – defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people’s dietary needs – has been on the rise for the past several years. It touches all students – undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. WHO states food security is built on: 1. food availability (sufficient quantities of food available on a consistent basis); 2. food access (having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet; and 3. food use (appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care).

Individuals can fall on a spectrum of food security:

• Food Secure – they know where there next meal will come from, and they have access to a nutritionally sustaining meal.
• Marginally Food Secure – where although someone has access to food, they are experiencing anxiety about where there next meal may come from
• Food Insecurity – where students are decreasing there food intake, skipping meals, or eating less nutritionally valuable meals due to external forces (for example, working less hours at work due to illness, a change in employment, or a veterans benefit check not arriving when it was scheduled to).

Why is nutrition important?

It is a fact that brain function and nutrition are linked. Improper or insufficient nutrition leads to a lack of energy and concentration. You cannot be at your academic best if you’re hungry! And you can’t live solely on coffee and energy drinks!

Could you use some help?

To obtain items from the Cupboard, simply fill out an Intake Form by selecting this link to request assistance or email colonelscupboard@eku.edu. You can also drop in during walk-in hours to the Cupboard itself at Powell 215 and fill out the forms in person.

What else does the Cupboard offer?

The Colonel’s Cupboard also acts as a referral source for students. There are a multitude of resources both on campus and outside of campus that students have access to. These resources are posted on this website. 

What other local resources can I access?

There are multiple resources available in both Madison County and our surrounding counties. You can find a complete list posted on this website.