Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, in partnership with local businesses, organizations and private citizens, launched the DSLCC Roadrunner Cubby Closet, an on-campus food pantry, a year ago last November as a means of support for DSLCC students and those in the community facing hunger. “The Roadrunner Cubby Closet has been widely utilized over the last year”, said DSLCC President, Dr. John Rainone. “Across the US, many college students just don’t have enough to eat. Such is the case in our local community, and we are fully aware that supporting our students is more of a holistic effort.”
At the start of the fall 2018 semester, DSLCC launched the “Miles for Meals” initiative in an 
effort to promote employee health and wellness and support the Cubby Closet. Eleven teams of three competed over a 9-week period logging more than 6,340 miles. The winning team, which included DSLCC staff and faculty members Nancy Mathias, Tina Dressler and Lee Anne Bowling-Angle, made the impressive commitment to walk 1,000 miles during the competition. They followed through on their goal, and then some, logging more than 1,136 miles.
Teams donated non-perishable food items in order to log the team’s miles for the week. Participating employees donated more than 100 bags of groceries. “The generosity of our employees was awe-inspiring,” stated Dr. Matt McGraw, Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness.
“The idea of supporting the Cubby Closet was an added benefit [to the competition],” noted Mathias. “The event brought an awareness to food insecurity, which does exist on our campus.” Her fellow team members shared in Mathias’ sentiment, stating that they were honored to be a part of the Miles for Meals challenge for the fellowship, exercise, and the goal of giving back to those in need.
The local Kroger Store in Clifton Forge also contributed to the effort by donating 50 “Feed the Hungry” boxes to the DSLCC Roadrunner Cubby Closet. According to Kroger manager Cindy Bookman, cashier Norma Jean Nicely sold 70 percent of the boxes, which include non-perishable items such as oats, beans, canned vegetables, rice, canned meat, canned fruit, peanut butter and juice.
In addition to supporting students facing hunger, the Roadrunner Cubby Closet also free clothing suitable for work attire or job interviews.
The DSLCC Roadrunner Cubby Closet is located in the DSLCC Armory on the Clifton Forge campus. Click here for more information on the Roadrunner Cubby Closet.