Montclair Offers Food-Insecure Students Support and Resources through Red Hawk Pantry, Other Services

When international graduate student Kaori Sakae arrived at Montclair State University, she was searching for ways to get involved on campus when she stumbled across the Red Hawk Pantry and Rocky’s Closet on Instagram.

“I didn’t know about these resources…and these are all free? Oh my gosh,” she recalls thinking. “It’s great.”

Sakae didn’t just become a visitor – she volunteered for months and now serves as a graduate assistant at the Pantry while pursuing her master’s in Nutrition and Food Science.

“I was able to pursue my dream education because everyone around me was helping my food security,” Sakae says. “If I was always hungry, thinking about what and how I was going to eat tomorrow, I wouldn’t be able to succeed.”

Her experience mirrors what research shows: If a student’s basic needs are not met, their academics, mental health and overall wellness will be negatively impacted. It is also indicative of a growing reality on college campuses across the country: Food insecurity among students is increasing and demand for support services continues to rise.

A Growing Need on College Campuses

“There’s definitely been an increase,” says Assistant Director of Student Access to Community Services Frances Jelks-Brown, who oversees the Pantry and Rocky’s Closet. She points to end-of-semester pressures, limited meal swipes and interruptions in SNAP benefits as contributing factors.

“Food insecurity is a major concern for our students, particularly when we’re nearing the end of a semester; a lot of students start to run out of their meal swipes, and those on SNAP benefits may still not know if they’ll be getting benefits again,” she says.

In the past six months alone, the Pantry has distributed 57,289 pounds of food and essentials, surpassing the 42,534 pounds distributed during the entire previous year.

The Red Hawk Pantry was established in 2016 after a student-led survey showed that nearly half of college students experience some form of food insecurity – a trend echoed in faculty research that led to the creation of Montclair’s Hunger Free Campus Task Force in 2019. Montclair became the first four-year university in New Jersey to open an on-campus food pantry, which is now common on many college campuses.

I was able to pursue my dream education because everyone around me was helping my food security.” ~ Kaori Sakae, graduate student

But with increased demands to food pantries and soup kitchens nationwide, a rise in Red Hawk Pantry visits is not surprising, says Fatima deCarvalho, senior associate dean in Student Development and Campus Life, who also serves on the Hunger-Free Task Force. “We are a microcosm of what is occurring in our society, so when you see food insecurities increase in our society, you’re going to see the same concerns on our college campuses.”

How Montclair Is Working Toward a Hunger-Free Campus

Montclair’s response is broad and collaborative, with multiple departments – from the Student Health Center to University Facilities – sponsoring food collection drives to meet students’ needs. The Pantry provides free food, hygiene products and household essentials, all funded through donations and grants. The University employs a full-time staffer but provides no operating funds.

“We are able to meet the need, but needs continue to grow,” deCarvalho says, noting the necessity for limited hours of operation and restrictions on the number of items visitors can take per visit.

Key Pantry partners include the Food Recovery Network, which is made up of student volunteers who work with Gourmet Dining to recover leftover meals from dining halls, individually package them and take them to the Pantry for distribution. In addition to preventing food waste, it provides Pantry visitors with greater food choices, says Student Development and Campus Life’s Director of Advocacy and Outreach Adela Caceres. Fresh produce is also supplied by Gourmet Dining and the Montclair Campus Community Garden. “Students come in, we give them a bag, and they leave with fresh fruits and vegetables,” Jelks-Brown says.

Moreover, Gourmet Dining’s Director of Dining and Wellness Jennifer Bostedo says that their NOURISH program endeavors to “make good nutrition choices accessible at any price point and provide the customized resources and nutrition education to make it attainable at any level. Our numerous dining venues follow suit, to make sure students have access to the best balance and value to fuel a great Red Hawk day.”

Additional support comes from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey and the Inserra Family, owners and operators of 23 ShopRite stores in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties, both of which regularly provide pallets of food to the Pantry. Other campus partners, too numerous to mention, include the Student Government Association and the Latin American Student Organization.

De-stigmatizing the Need for Services and Support

Sakae says international students often face additional challenges, citing ineligibility for federal aid, limited work opportunities and lack of transportation.

One Pantry visitor, Ahmed Moussa, who is legally blind, says student staffers go out of their way to ensure accessibility.

“They’ve been a great help,” Moussa says, explaining that accommodations such as flexible hours and personalized assistance make the Pantry easier to navigate.

A welcoming environment also may play a role in students’ seeking services, says Caceres, adding that Montclair has worked hard to “de-stigmatize” request for services.

“Our student staff are trained to approach every single visitor with a welcoming demeanor and in a respectful and dignified manner as they seek support,” she says, adding, that in addition to surging costs and instability of public resources, such as SNAP, “I believe that has been one of the factors impacting the increase in usage. Hence, students like Ahmed, are welcomed and supported in unique ways based on their individual needs.”

Our student staff are trained to approach every single visitor with a welcoming demeanor and in a respectful and dignified manner as they seek support.” ~ Adela Caceres, Student Development and Campus Life’s Director of Advocacy and Outreach

Learning While Giving Back

For Sakae, working at the Pantry is both educational and gratifying.

“Every day is a new learning,” she says. “Some students don’t have microwaves. Some have dietary restrictions. Having all different kinds of food and being able to help them is really, really rewarding. That’s what I love.”

Her goal is to work in community nutrition and to one day open her own food pantry, where she can teach people how to make healthy and nutritious meals.

Expanding Resources for Students

Montclair recently received a $52,000 grant from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, which it will use to open a new sister pantry to address food insecurity among Bloomfield College students, expand access to food, transportation and emergency grocery assistance at Montclair, while also supporting ongoing research on student food insecurity.

In addition to the Red Hawk Pantry, Montclair students have access to other programs, all designed to ensure they can focus on learning and not hunger.

As deCarvalho puts it, “If you don’t have money for food, you probably don’t have money for toiletries. It’s important that we make those items available, so students can take care of their basic needs. Donations are impactful not only for us, but for the students coming here because you are not only helping their food insecurity, you’re also helping them thrive in life.”

That’s definitely how Sakae sees it: “Being a graduate assistant at Red Hawk Pantry is deeply meaningful because beyond food insecurity, I’m assisting the academic success and life success of students.”

Resources Available to Students, Faculty and Staff

• Red Hawk Pantry – Located at Blanton Hall, Room 1200, the Pantry provides free food, hygiene items and household essentials. All visitors must register at PantrySoft Registration to attain food and other products. Contact the Pantry via email if you are unable to visit during regular operating hours.
  • For donors, the Pantry makes it easy to donate online or via an Amazon Wish List.
• Shuttle Service to nearby ShopRite and other stores that accept SNAP benefits. Operated by University Facilities, shuttles are available on Wednesday and Saturday.
• Food Recovery Network, a student-led initiative, which collects healthy Gourmet Dining-prepared meals at Sam’s Place; complete meals are frozen and available to students at Red Hawk Pantry.
• Food Champion Program, which redistributes leftovers from catered campus events to students via Canvas on a first-come, first-served basis. Students can opt-in to this program via Canvas.
• Campus Community Garden, where the campus community grows and provides fresh produce to Red Hawk Pantry. Gardeners can keep some of what they grow or donate it all to the Pantry.
• Swipe Out Hunger, a national initiative enabling students to donate unused meal swipes to peers in need.
• Registered Dietitian Program, which provides counseling services free of charge to students, faculty and staff on a small group and one-on-one basis to address food literacy and insecurity, as well as assistance on how to shop for seasonal, budget-friendly and nutritious foods. “A nourishing focus can lead to a well-fueled student who can perform academically better,” says Bostedo.
• Cans for Citations, a Facilities-led effort which allows campus community members to donate canned goods in exchange for a $10 reduction of one parking citation. All the canned goods go to Red Hawk Pantry.

Story: Sylvia A. Martinez Photography: University Photographer Mike Peters.

Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?

Prospective students: Learn more about Montclair’s Nutrition and Food Science programs and efforts to ensure a Hunger-Free campus.

Journalists: Contact Montclair’s Media Relations team for assets or to schedule an interview on this topic.