SOPA Market & Closet
The SOPA Market: Food Assistance to Students
The SOPA Market, a non-perishable pantry stocked with food and other daily necessities, is open to any student in need. We ask that students please bring their own bags when visiting the market. You will be afforded the courtesy of privacy while choosing your needed items.
LOCATION: inside the front door of Henderson Hall, in the first closet on your right (Room 255).
HOURS: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. when the University is open.
The SOPA Closet: Clothing Assistance to Students
The SOPA Closet is stocked with various items featuring clothing, shoes, coats, and performance wear and is open to any student in need. We ask that students please bring their own bags when visiting the closet.
LOCATION: on the first floor of Henderson Hall, at the end of the hallway in the graduate suite, the closet is room 140-A. If you would like to visit the closet, please stop by Academic Advisor, Dee Hopkins’ office, 242 on the second floor of Henderson Hall. You can also email her at deidra61@vt.edu.
HOURS: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. when the University is open.
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Fruit
- Spaghetti Sauce & Noodles
- Pasta
- Cereal
- Sugar (2 lb. bags)
- Peanut Butter (16 oz.)
- Jelly
- Canned Soup
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Rice
- Tuna
- Canned Meat
- Tea or Coffee
- Hamburger Helper
- Pancake Mix
- Cake Mix
- Cooking oil, salad dressings, etc.
- Laundry Detergent (43-50 oz.)
- Dish Soap
- Feminine products
- Bath Soap
- Shampoo
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Deodorant
The SOPA Market and Closet are entirely run on charitable donations and with the click of the button, you can help to provide healthy meals, snacks, and other necessities for students in need! If you would like to donate by directly sending food and necessities, we will have a link to an Amazon Wishlist soon. Additionally, we welcome the donation of Kroger Gift Cards in $10 and $20 amounts, to share with students in need.
Kroger gift cards, please drop them off or mail them to:
Attn: Allison Hamborsky
Virginia Tech
School of Performing Arts
Henderson Hall, 195 Alumni Mall (0141)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Mail gift payments to:
Virginia Tech Advancement Division
Office of Gift Accounting
902 Prices Fork Road
Blacksburg, VA 24061
(Note on the check: "School of Performing Arts Annual Fund")
Online monetary gifts can be made with a credit/debit card at https://apps.es.vt.edu/onlinegiving/gift
- Choose your gift frequency and gift amount
- Select an area: choose “College of Architecture, Arts, and Design”
- Select a fund: choose “School of Performing Arts Annual Fund”
- Important: Be sure to note: For Hearts & Flowers Committee, SOPA Market & Closet in the “Would you like to provide additional comments or special instructions about your gift” on the right side of the screen during the payment process.
For questions or concerns, contact Elizabeth Lantz at elantz@vt.edu or Allison Hamborsky at allisonjh@vt.edu.
Programs already in place for those who are food/clothing insecure:
On-campus
- Mehul and Hema Sanghani, who are alumni of Virginia Tech, made a donation of $1.5 million in 2019 which helped fund the first pilot program of The Market.
- Collegiate Times Article
- Student Emergency Fund
- Dean of Students list of community programs for those in need
- Student Affairs Task Force Report
- The Market of Virginia Tech
- Pop up Pantry, provided by Undergraduate Student Senate (Allocated money to the pantry, $6-7K.) Current info about Pop up Pantry location and hours of operation on the website for The Market of Virginia Tech.
In the Community