Davenport University receives Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant

Davenport University has received a Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant in the amount of $32,100 from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential. The grant aims to combat food insecurity among students by increasing access to food for students among the university’s various campuses.

According to an article on Davenport University’s website, Natalie Wagner, who serves as the university’s director of Student Life, was quoted as saying of the impact the grant funding will have, “At Davenport, we believe no student should have to choose between their education and their next meal. While our Panther Resource Closet and PRC Pantry provide an important safety net, securing the MiLEAP Hunger-Free Campus Activities Grant allows us to scale that mission.”

The grant funding will help expand the offerings provided by the Panther Resource Closet, turning it into the Panther Resource Closet - Plus, expand Farm Fresh Market events, and help provide transportation assistance to ensure students at each of the university’s campuses have access to these resources and the food and other resources they provide. 

The university has seen a demand for food assistance so far in the 2025-2026 school year that exceeds the entire annual demand from the 2024-2025 school year, during which the university provided students with 1,000 pounds of food and 1,300 hygiene products. 

When students can’t afford or access healthy food, it affects their ability to succeed in school. Wagner noted, “These stressors often lead to missed classes, reduced course loads and a higher ‘stop-out’ risk. By removing these drivers of attrition through expanded food access and transportation support, PRC Plus will help maintain Davenport’s 80% retention rate, ensuring that food insecurity does not interrupt a student’s momentum toward graduation.”

Students at the university’s campuses, which include in Grand Rapids, Midland, Lansing, and Warren, will have access to the benefits of the Hunger-Free Campus Activities grant. Students will be able to receive food vouchers and gift cards that will allow them to access food support both quickly and privately. Shuttles and bus passes will also be provided to allow students to commute to the Farm Fresh Market, which will be expanded from the Grand Rapids campus to the Midland, Lansing, and Warren campuses.

Additionally, the university maintains partnerships with organizations like Feeding America, local food banks, United Way’s 211 system, and the Meijer Foundation to ensure students will feel supported by a safety net that includes food and hygiene items.

For more information about Davenport University, visit the school’s website.