GREENSBORO, N.C. — About 3.8 million college undergrads in the U.S. experience food insecurity, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

It’s a factor that can negatively impact student retention and behavioral health.

What You Need To Know

  • A federal study shows nearly a quarter of students in college are facing food insecurity

  • This is Food Lion’s sixth year hosting the Food Lion Feeds Collegiate Hunger Challenge aimed at reducing food insecurity for college students 

  • Colleges participate by raising donations of food and money, and winning colleges get up to $25,000 to support their cause year-round

To help lower that number, Food Lion is partnering with "student hunger ambassadors" at 14 North Carolina colleges for an annual hunger challenge.

Greensboro College junior Xypher Pino helped his school win $10,000 in the competition last year.

They used the money for a new food pantry and to renovate a kitchen on campus.

“Now we have an official space for us to use as storage but also for students to come in and actually have more stuff that they can pick and choose from in order to help out with their food insecurity problems,” Pino said.

The ambassadors at the school said surveys they took during the 2023-24 program found 30% of the students who responded experienced moments in which they were not sure where their next meal was coming from.

Food Lion Feeds manager Kevin Durkee said the mission is to reduce food insecurity for students across the state. 

Food Lion and the North Carolina Campus Engagement will award a total of $25,000 to colleges with innovative fundraisers and collected donations. 

Western colleges like UNC Asheville and Warren Wilson College are also participating.

Donations will be accepted until Dec. 20.

For more information on the challenge, click here. 

Click here to learn more about food resources in the state.