EKU’s Colonel’s Cupboard is located in Powell 215
The Colonel’s Cupboard at Eastern Kentucky University provides a variety of resources to students who face food insecurity or financial distress, as part of the university’s commitment to ensuring students have what they need to succeed.
Items available at no cost to EKU students:
- Fresh foods: dairy, eggs, vegetables, various frozen and refrigerated items
- Pantry foods: canned foods, boxed foods, snack food items
- Toiletry items: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine products
- Clothing: available through Colonel’s Closet (located within the cupboard)
Contacting Colonel’s Cupboard:
- Location: Powell 215
- E-mail: colonelscupboard@eku.edu
- Hours: vary by semester, see below
- Appointments: request through Engage
Fall 2024 Hours
Please be sure to check our hours before visiting, or submit a request through Engage to confirm when the cupboard is available. During walk-in hours, students may go directly to Powell 215 to visit the cupboard. Appointments MUST arrive at Powell 152 to be escorted to the cupboard.
If at any time the cupboard door is not open or unlocked during Walk-In hours, please go to Powell 152 or email colonelscupboard@eku.edu.
Monday
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. by appointment
11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for walk-ins
Tuesday
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. by appointment
12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. for walk-ins
Wednesday
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. by appointment
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for walk-ins
Thursday
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. by appointment
12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. for walk-ins
Friday
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. by appointment
11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for walk-ins
The Cupboard is overseen by the Coordinator of Registered Student Organizations and Community Service in the Office of Student Life and First-Year Experience. The day-to-day operations are overseen by an AmeriCorps VISTA member, who works with clients and volunteers throughout the work week. Weekly service projects allow for students, faculty, staff, and community members to assist in sorting food donations and other essential tasks in the Cupboard.
During breaks where campus is closed, EKU Housing will keep food boxes on hand in dorms that are open all year to ensure that students staying on campus have access to food if needed. These breaks include spring break, winter break, etc. The dorms that remain open vary each year. It is the current VISTA’s responsibility to reach out to EKU Housing and determine the appropriate dorms and distribute the food boxes.
Cupboard History
The Colonel’s Cupboard opened in 2014 as an initiative of the Office of Student Life and First-Year Experience to address the food insecurity issues that students at Eastern Kentucky University faced. The Cupboard originally was housed in a small one bedroom apartment that was formally married and family housing. In 2016, the Cupboard was relocated to the second flood of Commonwealth Hall in the former Residence Hall Coordinator three bedroom apartment. This location had a larger space for more stock and is easier to access for students.
Donations were originally collected from various campus departments, students, and local partnerships. During the first year of operation, the Cupboard partnered with God’s Outreach and Grace Now food pantries in Richmond so that no student would go without food while the stock was increased. Today, the Cupboard is able to sustain itself with large-scale campus food drives and donations from several local churches. The partnerships with God’s Outreach and Grace Now continue so any excess food from campus drives are donated to these organizations, and students seeking more assistance can reach out.
During the 2018-2019 school year, a few changes were implemented. First, the Cupboard began offering clothing and toiletry items. Students now have full access to food, toiletry items, and clothing. Also, the Cupboard switched from offering food boxes only to a “shopping model” where students can come in the Cupboard and select the items that they need themselves. This model allows for client choice and better accommodates any food allergies students may have.