Frequently Asked Questions

I have an emergency need for food support, where do I go?

• Please reach out to the Dean of Students office at dean.students@vt.edu or 540-231-3787.
• Look into our Open Market Hours to see what times might work for you. There is no pre-registration or application, simply walk in when open. You must be a Virginia Tech student to utilize this resource.

I am not a Virginia Tech student; can I utilize The Market of Virginia Tech’s programs?

• No. Currently The Market of Virginia Tech can only support current Virginia Tech students. For all our programs, you must be a current, enrolled, student or enrolled for classes for the following semester if you are accessing during summer or winter breaks.
• For community resource options, please find more information on the NRV Food Access Directory.

My organization wants to do a food drive for The Market, how do we start?

• Please visit our Giving page to learn more about what types of food we need most, how to go about collecting food, and how to arrange a drop-off time for your donation drive.

I want to support The Market of Virginia Tech, but I don’t know how, where do I start?

• Thank you for your interest in supporting our work! Please visit our Giving page to learn more about avenues for support.

I want to donate something to The Market, but I’m unsure if it is allowed, what should I do?

• Thank you for your interest in giving to The Market of Virginia Tech! Please visit our give page to learn more about what types of donations we accept. If you cannot find an answer, reach out to us at themarket@vt.edu and we can assist you further.

I am not a United States Citizen, can I still utilize your services?

• Yes, The Market of Virginia Tech’s services are confidential and will not be reported to any governing body. Please feel free to utilize any of our programs as needed. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at themarket@vt.edu.

How do I know if I qualify for The Market’s services?

• There is no screening for any of The Market’s services. Unfortunately, the enrolled grocery story model does require an application as we have set capacity. This program is first-come first serve, so you may not be enrolled simply because of space – you will be added to the waitlist. Otherwise, you are free to utilize any of our programs – no qualification necessary.

I have been on the waitlist for the grocery-store model for a long time, does that mean I am not eligible for the grocery-store model or that I should re-apply?

• No, there is no screening for this model. You are likely still on the waitlist due to our capacity being full. You do not need to reapply as our waitlist carries over, you will simply move up as space is available. We will reach out to you once you are able to enter the program. In the meantime, please utilize our Open Market Hours to find support. Or reach out to the Dean of Students office for additional information.

Someone put a food drive box in an area that is not allowed, what can The Market do?

• The Market of Virginia Tech does not currently have any facilitated food drives on campus. Outside groups, organizations, etc. can and do host food drives on their own, these are not the responsibility of The Market. We cannot help if a box is placed in an unacceptable location and recommend you simply remove the box or determine who the owner of the box is.