CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports 1.2 million people in the state are experiencing food insecurity, including college students trying to focus on their classes.
A community college is using its statewide recognition from a hunger challenge to help feed more students.
Davidson-Davie Community College was recently named a Sector Hunger Champion for Community College Campuses in the N.C. Collegiate Hunger Challenge.
Fourteen colleges and universities competed in the latest student-led hunger challenge, gaining points for activities spotlighting food insecurity.
The winning campuses, representing different sectors, received funds to further their food missions.
Davidson-Davie won $5,000 to boost its efforts to ensure students receive a meal.
Lynne Watts serves as director of student life and leadership at Davidson-Davie.
Watts says the funds will allow them to purchase more food and personal products for students who depend on the pantry for survival.
“This pantry is such a godsend for so many students,” Watts said. “Our goal is to decrease the impact food insecurity has on a student’s academic performance.”
Watts said the need for access to food is growing.
“With the price of food today, I think students are struggling more than ever before,” Watts said. “In 2024, we helped over 498 students, and that number doubled from the year before. We expect by the end of 2025 that number will still increase.”
Lynn Frausto and Katrina Prickett are students at Davidson-Davie and volunteer regularly at the pantry.
The pair also led Davidson-Davie to become a sector hunger champion winner.
For both Frausto and Prickett, food insecurity hits close to home.
“I myself [am] familiar with the insecurities, so it was a no-brainer for me to help,” Prickett said.
“My family – we were in a similar position,” Frausto said.
Frausto said she’s proud to help students in need of food, so they have one less thing to worry about.
“If this resource didn’t exist, there’d be so many people going home at night without a meal,” Frausto said.
“It’s such a good feeling when a student tells you that without this pantry she doesn’t know where her next meal is coming from. You feel good you can provide that type of service so they can continue in their academic pursuit,” Watts said.
Food Lion Feeds launched the Collegiate Hunger Challenge in partnership with the North Carolina Campus Engagement.
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