By Joan Tupponce  

Janet Wooten was checking on the contents of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Pharmacy pantry on the first floor of the Smith Building around 7:30 a.m. — a ritual she does every day — when a student came up to her, smiling from ear to ear.   

“I am so grateful for what you are doing for us,” he said, nodding toward the rows of shelf-stable pantry items in the kitchenette.   

This isn’t a random student or a random compliment. Wooten has students approach her and even offer to help stock the shelves on a consistent basis.  

Working with the Little Ram Pantry is about far more than food for Wooten. It’s about dignity and belonging – making sure every student feels cared for by their community. 

“The health sciences are demanding fields, and students shouldn’t have to choose between studying and eating,” said Wooten, senior executive assistant to the dean of the School of Pharmacy. “Helping launch the Little Ram Pantries has been one way to ensure they never have to make that choice.” 

Wooten has seen firsthand how food insecurity affects families and how difficult it can be to ask for help, making the work she does with the pantry deeply personal to her.  When she was a teenager, she would go with her mother to church on Saturdays to help serve meals and provide clothing to unhoused individuals and anyone who needed support.  

“My mother taught me the more you give to others, the more blessings you receive in return,” she said.  

On top of her job as the senior executive assistant to the pharmacy school’s dean, Janet Wooten manages day-to-day operations of the Little Ram Pantries' central distribution center for all the participating locations on the MCV campus. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Wooten’s main duties with the pantry are as organizational as they are personal. She manages day-to-day operations that include everything from tracking inventory and coordinating food donations to arranging purchases and making sure the space stays welcoming and easy to use.  

But these tasks are in addition to Wooten’s busy day job – where no two days are alike. As the senior executive assistant for Dean Kelechi C. Ogbonna, Pharm.D., MSHA, Wooten is responsible for keeping the day moving smoothly. She manages his complex calendar, helps prioritize what needs attention and ensures meetings are set up with the right information and people. Wooten’s a point of contact for faculty, staff and partners who need support or guidance.   

“My job is really about staying organized, anticipating needs and creating a sense of calm and clarity around the dean’s work and priorities,” she said.   

Wooten is instrumental in promoting school pride and community, always donning VCU’s colors on Black & Gold Wednesdays. Her role additionally gives her the opportunity to interact with students, helping them with everything from scheduling meetings with the dean to providing suggestions on what to add to the vending machines.  

“Sometimes they simply want to say hello,” Wooten said. “I work to make them feel comfortable and welcomed.”  

Stocking shelves and success  

Wooten realized something was needed on campus to address food insecurity after having several students share that they were staying on campus for long hours, sometimes coming in on weekends, often relying on whatever snacks or leftovers they could find.  

“I couldn’t ignore what they were experiencing. I wanted our students to feel supported, not ashamed,” Wooten added.  

Students who are affected by food insecurity – not having enough nutritious food for a healthy life – may struggle with physical and mental health, finances, housing insecurity and staying in school.  

The Little Ram Pantries across the university provide free, judgment‑free access to food and basic necessities for students who need that extra support. Wooten joined the initiative in 2024, years after it was already successful on the Monroe Park Campus.

I’m just thankful to play a small part in something that’s making a difference in students’ lives. 

Janet Wooten, senior executive assistant to dean of VCU School of Pharmacy

 Sheryl Garland, chief of health impact at VCU Health, notes that the Little Ram Pantries model on the MCV Campus was “built off of something Janet already tested,” adding that she thought through everything carefully and was willing to share any lessons learned with others to support all health sciences students better.   

“The model also protected individuals’ privacy and was established with the understanding that some may be facing financial challenges, but did not want this information to be known by their peers,” said Garland, who headed the VCU Health Sciences Campus Food Insecurity Workforce Group that Wooten is currently a member of.  

The Little Ram Pantries have since expanded to 10 locations across VCU’s health sciences campus. The School of Pharmacy’s pantry now serves as the central distribution center for all the campus’ participating pantries to receive their monthly food allotments.  

Wooten’s dedication to students has not gone unnoticed. In 2025, she was awarded VCU’s Bertha Rolfe Outstanding Staff Award for going beyond her regular duties.  

Little Ram Pantries are now available at 10 locations across VCU’s health sciences campus. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Mary Kate Brogan, director of communications for the School of Pharmacy, interacts with Wooten every day. She said Wooten is the “definition of a kindhearted, selfless individual.”  

When it comes to the pantry, Brogan said Wooten took initiative to find a solution to an issue facing the campus community.  

“A lot of people might see a problem and say they want to help but not follow through. It’s far more rare to have someone who will see it through, and Janet is that person,” Brogan said.   

Seeing the food pantry’s impact ‘makes all the juggling worth it’ 

If balancing both the pantry and her job sounds daunting, it can be, but Wooten wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“I juggle everything for the Little Ram Pantry because I care about it so much. It doesn’t feel like ‘extra work.’ It feels like something meaningful that I get to do an hour a week,” she said. “I stay organized, I plan ahead, and I build systems around my other work that make the day‑to‑day easier.”  

A lot of what Wooten does boils down to passion.   

“When you believe in the mission, you find the energy and time to do what you love.  I currently do it alone, but I am reaching out to students and staff to volunteer,” said Wooten. “Seeing how much the pantry helps students makes all the juggling worth it.” 

A lot of people might see a problem and say they want to help but not follow through. It’s far more rare to have someone who will see it through, and Janet is that person. 

Mary Kate Brogan, director of communications for VCU School of Pharmacy

 As demand for the Little Ram Pantries grows, Wooten recognizes how the resource helps remove a barrier many felt too embarrassed to talk about. 

“When you see firsthand how something as simple as a food pantry can take stress off someone’s shoulders, maybe help them stay focused in class, or just make them feel cared for, it’s hard not to stay committed,” she said. “Every time I see a student utilize the pantry and walk away with a little more ease or a little more confidence, it reminds me why the work matters. That’s what keeps me going.”  

She’s also grateful for those who have supported her through the process of setting up the Little Ram Pantry at the School of Pharmacy, such as John Jones, Ph.D., in the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability, who established the Little Ram Pantries initiative, Garland for leading efforts to find solutions to food insecurity on campus and Ogbonna who believed in Wooten’s vision.  

“The growth didn’t happen because of one person; it happened because faculty and staff care, donate, volunteer and spread the word,” she said. “I’m just thankful to play a small part in something that’s making a difference in students’ lives."  

Janet Wooten embraces school spirit whenever she can. You can always catch her wearing VCU’s colors on Black & Gold Wednesdays. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

With the Little Ram Pantry, we do our part to ensure no student in the VCU community goes hungry. Learn more about the program and how to get involved.

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