It’s Launch Week for the 14 campuses participating in the 2024 NC Collegiate Hunger Challenge! Competitors are kicking-off the challenge with food drives, awareness events, and other creative activities to spread the word about the Hunger Challenge on their campuses.
NC Campus Engagement is partnering with Food Lion for the 5th year for the 2024 NC Collegiate Hunger Challenge, a competition where college students are empowered to create awareness about food insecurity and compete to collect the most food for neighbors experiencing hunger. The Collegiate Hunger Challenge was created by Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion’s hunger-relief platform, and North Carolina Campus Engagement. The Hunger Challenge is an element of the Food Lion and NC Campus Engagement partnership that is in its 6th year.
“Food Lion Feeds is excited to join forces with the next generation of leaders to find solutions to hunger on college campuses,” said Kevin Durkee, Manager, Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion. “Aside from addressing food insecurity in our communities, the Collegiate Hunger Challenge also supports our educational partners. Through their participation, students gain valuable experience in community service and leadership. It empowers them to make a tangible difference while fostering a sense of social responsibility.”
Following the competition, Food Lion Feeds and North Carolina Campus Engagement will award a total of $25,000 to winning colleges for their efforts to fight hunger on and around their campuses. Campuses are competing for the title of Grand Hunger Champion ($10,000 prize) or Sector Hunger Champion ($5,000 prize) from each sector – community college, four-year public college and four-year independent institution. Since 2019, the Collegiate Hunger Challenge has provided more than $160,000, equivalent to more than 1.6 million meals*.
Throughout the challenge, which runs from Sept. 9, 2024, through Dec. 20, 2024, the participating colleges and universities accumulate points through various activities centered around addressing food insecurity and raising awareness about the issue. Since the statewide Collegiate Hunger Challenge began in 2018, more than 30 North Carolina colleges and universities have participated. Each school selects one or two MVP Student Hunger Ambassadors responsible for leading the effort as part of the challenge.
“We are so grateful to Food Lion for their ongoing partnership,” said Leslie Garvin, Executive Director, North Carolina Campus Engagement. “Not only does this initiative directly benefit students facing food insecurity, but it also develops and builds the leadership skills and dispositions of the Hunger Ambassadors, while promoting awareness, empathy and compassion throughout the campus. In addition to addressing tangible needs, we are destigmatizing student food insecurity and mobilizing campuses to continue to address this critical issue.”
Participating schools receive an activity fund, marketing materials and ongoing support. The ambassador will receive a stipend upon completion of the campaign. A check presentation ceremony for the winners will occur Feb. 12, 2025, at NCCE’s annual Pathways to Achieving Civic Engagement Conference at Guilford Technical Community College.
Stay tuned and follow along as we uplift the events and activities hosted by the MVP Student Hunger Ambassadors during the Hunger Challenge!
*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks