No Seahawk Goes Hungry

Every year, hundreds of Seahawks turn to Hawk’s Harvest for a basic need: food. What began as a small weekly pop-up has become a two-location pantry serving 700 to 1,000 students annually, made possible by donors and community partners who help keep its shelves stocked. 

Since opening in 2019, Hawk’s Harvest has grown from a few bins of food and a handful of students into a fully operating food pantry with two on-campus locations. The pantry provides currently enrolled students with food, toiletries and referrals to additional campus resources.  

The program was created in response to food insecurity identified in a 2017 campus survey, in which 547 students reported experiences such as skipping meals, stretching groceries and sometimes going entire days without eating. Originally housed in Catholic Campus Ministry, Hawk’s Harvest has since moved and expanded to locations in the Fisher University Union and Veterans Hall. 

Today, Hawk’s Harvest distributes roughly 22,000 to 24,000 pounds of food each academic year.  

“We have noticed that the average amount of food distributed per student has increased the past two years,” says Dr. Jaime Russell, director of Student Community Engagement. “That tells us that the students using the pantry really do need this important resource.”  

But the numbers tell only part of the story.  

For some students, Hawk’s Harvest helps stretch a tight grocery budget. For others, it provides a primary source of food during a difficult period. Students have shared that the pantry has helped ease financial pressure and, in some cases, helped them remain in school.  

“Providing access to food not only helps to meet a basic human need, but it also removes a barrier that could disrupt a student’s academic progress,” Russell says. 

Meeting that need takes more than the pantry itself. It takes the continued support of the people who help keep Hawk’s Harvest stocked and available to students.  

That support includes a 10-year commitment from a UNCW alumnus, MBA ’97, who has chosen to remain anonymous. “No student should be hungry,” he says. “They come here to study.”  

With ties to both UNCW and ECU, he wants students to be able to focus on their education rather than worry about where their next meal will come from. 

Rising grocery prices have reinforced his concern that more students may need help in the years ahead. His long-term commitment is intended to provide Hawk’s Harvest with greater stability while allowing the pantry to continue meeting students’ needs.  

For Russell, that kind of sustained philanthropy is critical.  

“Our entire operation functions thanks to the support of the Seahawk community,” says Russell. “If it weren’t for financial donations, food drives and volunteers, our shelves would be empty and Seahawks would go hungry.” 

Looking ahead, Russell hopes to expand the availability of fresh foods such as produce and proteins, increase awareness of food insecurity and reach students who may not yet know the pantry is available to them. Just as important, she wants to reduce the stigma some students feel about seeking help.  

“Far too often we hear students saying they don’t have it ‘that bad’ compared to their peers, or that they are embarrassed to utilize the resources available to them,” Russell says. “Hawk’s Harvest is here to help, and there is no shame in fulfilling a basic need.” 

Supporting Hawk’s Harvest does not require a large gift. For the alumnus behind the 10-year commitment, the approach is simple: give what you can.  

“Everyone can give. It does not matter at what level. All gifts add up,” he says.

Support takes many forms. A 10-year commitment provides stability. A food drive fills shelves. A volunteer keeps the pantry running. A gift of any size helps provide food and other essentials to a student who needs them.  

Every contribution helps keep Hawk’s Harvest available to the students who rely on it, removing one barrier between them and their education. 

Learn more about Hawk’s Harvest and how you can support its work, ensuring no Seahawk goes hungry.

Give to Hawk's Harvest