The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC), together with the state’s community colleges and the Future Alumni Support Team, has started a statewide fundraising campaign to address food insecurity among community college students in New Jersey.
A recent survey by the Hope Center showed that 39% of students at New Jersey community colleges experienced food insecurity in the month before the survey, which is similar to national findings. Community colleges across the state have responded by opening campus food pantries, helping students apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, partnering with local organizations, and working to reduce the stigma of seeking help for basic needs. However, these programs require more resources to continue.
All money raised through the Feed the Future: Fight Student Hunger campaign will go directly to support food pantries at New Jersey community colleges.
“New Jersey’s Community Colleges are committed to ensuring every New Jerseyan can get on, stay on, and complete pathways to post-secondary credentials and degrees of value that lead to jobs and careers that provide economic and social mobility,” said NJCCC President Aaron Fichtner. “The Feed the Future Campaign is a critical component of that work. Helping our students meet their basic needs, such as access to food, is critically important to ensuring they can complete their education and achieve their goals.”
Jacob C. Farbman, Executive Director of Economic Mobility at NJCCC, emphasized the importance of addressing student hunger so students can focus on their education. “Now we are asking New Jerseyans to support community college students by ensuring students don’t go hungry,” Farbman said. “Even small contributions to a New Jersey community college food pantry will ensure students can stay enrolled in college, earn credentials and degrees, and get jobs that pay family-sustaining wages.”
Donations from individuals and businesses can be made online at spotfund.com/teams/njccc, where donors can select which local community college food pantry they wish to support.
The Future Alumni Support Team (FAST) works to raise funds for post-secondary education, aiming to help students from low-income backgrounds escape poverty and reduce dependence on government assistance. Their goal is for students—especially those at community colleges—to be able to pursue an education without being affected by food insecurity.
NJCCC is governed by presidents and trustees from all 18 community colleges in New Jersey. The organization supports over 240,000 students each year by encouraging collaboration among colleges and developing strategies to improve access, promote equity, foster student success, and build a skilled workforce for economic growth.
