Winona State University has once again earned Minnesota State’s Hunger Free Campus Designation for 2026, recognizing the university’s ongoing commitment to reducing food insecurity and ensuring students have access to the resources they need to succeed.
As part of that commitment, Winona State was awarded a $17,025 Hunger Free Campus Grant from Minnesota State this year to support Warrior Cupboard operations, student outreach efforts, and initiatives that help address food insecurity among students.
Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for college students nationwide. According to a Government Accountability Office analysis of 2020 data, approximately 23 percent of undergraduate students in the United States experience food insecurity each year. The rates are even higher at two-year institutions, where 38 percent of students reported food insecurity in a 2020 Hope Center survey.
At Winona State, resources like the Warrior Cupboard help students access nutritious food and essential items when they need them most.
One student shared the impact of the Warrior Cupboard: “The Warrior Cupboard has always been a great help to me as an athlete. This past year, I struggled with work schedules, classes, practices, mental health, and finances. The Warrior Cupboard helped ease my stress by providing meals and nutritious foods, including meat, dairy products, and fresh vegetables. It helped feed me as a constantly hungry athlete and reduced the financial stress I was experiencing.”
To earn the Hunger Free Campus Designation, Winona State demonstrated successful implementation of programs and initiatives aimed at reducing and eliminating food insecurity among students. The university maintains the Warrior Cupboard campus food shelf and supports a student food insecurity advisory team that helps identify needs and guide campus efforts.
This year’s designation comes as the Warrior Cupboard prepares to celebrate its 10-year anniversary through the “Warrior Cupboard: 10 Years Strong” campaign. Since its founding in 2017, the Warrior Cupboard has supported nearly 1,000 students, providing supplemental food assistance and helping ensure that no Warrior has to choose between their education and their basic needs.
“The campus food shelf is about more than providing food. It is a commitment to student success. It is the Warrior Way,” said Dr. Aurea Osgood, director of the Warrior Cupboard. “I have seen firsthand how this resource makes a difference in students’ lives.”
“At Minnesota State, supporting our students with the resources they need to achieve their educational goals is paramount, and that includes having enough to eat,” said Shawn Anderson, system director for student development and success for Minnesota State. “This designation recognizes the commitment that Winona State University has made to ensure that no student has to choose between their education and their next meal.”
The Warrior Cupboard’s 10 Years Strong campaign will focus on increasing awareness of student food insecurity, sharing student success stories, and expanding opportunities for campus and community members to support the resource through donations, food drives, and recurring giving opportunities.
Community members who wish to support the Warrior Cupboard can make donations through the Winona State Foundation at www.winona.edu/give.
