Swipe Out Hunger Awards $3,000 Grants to Thirty Campus Pantries

October 26, 2022 – Today, Swipe Out Hunger — the leading national nonprofit working to end college student food insecurity — announced that thirty colleges will each receive $3,000 in Swipe Grants to support their campus food pantries.

After the successful inaugural cycle of Swipe Out Hunger’s campus pantry grant distribution to seventeen colleges last Spring, Swipe is thrilled to expand this Fall’s grants to thirty campus pantry partners. With the increasing need of food security programs, particularly campus food pantries, these grants allow colleges to better serve their students. 

“With the economy the way it is, the number of students using our Purple Pantry is on the rise,” said Sally D’Alessandro, Assistant Dean of Students and Pantry Director at University of Albany. “We are so grateful to Swipe Out Hunger for helping us address this need with their generous donation. Hunger is a proven hurdle to success in the classroom. Together with Swipe Out Hunger and our other Pantry partners, we are helping our students achieve their academic goals.”

Schools will use their Swipe Grants in a variety of ways, including: expand food offerings to accommodate students’ dietary and cultural needs, provide funding for student volunteers and staff, acquire cold storage for perishable and fresh items, invest in new technology for their operations, expand reach through pop-ups, deliveries, and more.

“I am so incredibly happy and grateful to receive our first ever Grant on behalf of the Hatters Food Pantry here at Stetson University,” said Nicole Currie, Administrative Specialist at Hatters Helping Hatters Food Pantry at Stetson University. “When the pantry was founded in 2013, I never imagined that we would be able to serve students through not only donations and then gift cards, meal swipes and now this amazing Swipe Grant from Swipe Out Hunger that will assist in the ability to purchase more meal swipes, non-perishables and hygiene products for our students.”

“Gateway Community and Technical College is committed to removing non-academic barriers to success for our students,” said Dr. Fernando Figueroa, President of Gateway Community and Technical College. “The Food for Thought Pantry is crucial in our fulfillment of that mission, as it allows us to help students who are struggling with food insecurity obtain nutritious food for themselves and their families as they earn the credentials that will transform their lives. Through the generosity of the Swipe Grant, we will be able to meet the increased demand for the Pantry’s services and help our students who need it most. Thank you to Swipe Out Hunger for this support!”
 
Swipe Grant recipient Gianna Pettit, a Pantry Intern at University of North Carolina, Charlotte shared more in this video about receiving funding for their campus pantry and gardens: 

The list of the Fall 2022 Swipe Grant recipients include*:
– California State University, Los Angeles
– Calvin University
– Central Washington University
– Fitchburg State University
– Florida State University
– Gateway Community and Technical College
– Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis
– Kirkwood Community College, Iowa City campus
– Loyola Marymount University
– Minnesota State University – Mankato
– Northwestern Oklahoma State University
– Northwestern University
– Otero College
– Phoenix College
– Queens College, City University of New York
– Rowan College at Burlington County
– Rutgers University – Newark
– Spokane Community College
– Stetson University
– The University of Akron
– University at Albany
– University of Memphis
– University of Mississippi
– University of Montana
– University of New Hampshire
– University of New Orleans
– University of North Carolina, Charlotte
– University of Vermont
– West Virginia University
*Some schools wished to remain anonymous.

These grants and our greater pantry work are made possible thanks to the support of ECMC Foundation, Kresge Foundation, The M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation, and community members who are committed to ending college student hunger.

Following the end of the grant period in June 2023, Swipe Out Hunger will begin its Fall 2023 Swipe Grant cycle. To be the first to know about the upcoming cycle of Swipe Grants and other funding opportunities, sign up for Swipe Out Hunger’s newsletter.

About Swipe Out Hunger
Swipe Out Hunger is the leading national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger. Swipe promotes on-campus solutions, policy and advocacy, and community building practices to address college food insecurity. It works with colleges and universities to support their anti-hunger efforts, including campus food pantries and programs like the “Swipe Drive” which enables students to donate meals to their peers facing food insecurity on campus. Recognized for its entrepreneurial nature, Swipe Out Hunger has been named an Obama White House Champion For Change and its founder, Rachel Sumekh, has landed a spot on the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. From its beginnings as a grassroots movement at UCLA in 2010, Swipe Out Hunger has since served 4.8 million nourishing meals across more than 450 campuses in all 50 states and Canada. For more information, visit swipehunger.org.

Media Contact:
Janelle Raymundo
Digital Content Manager
Swipe Out Hunger
[email protected]