{"id":227287,"date":"2026-01-08T09:35:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T14:35:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=227287"},"modified":"2026-01-27T11:44:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:44:37","slug":"montclair-offers-food-insecure-students-support-and-resources-through-red-hawk-pantry-other-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2026\/01\/08\/montclair-offers-food-insecure-students-support-and-resources-through-red-hawk-pantry-other-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Montclair Offers Food-Insecure Students Support and Resources through Red Hawk Pantry, Other Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

When international graduate student Kaori Sakae arrived at ÌÇÐÄvlog, she was searching for ways to get involved on campus when she stumbled across the Red Hawk Pantry<\/a> and Rocky\u2019s Closet<\/a> on Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know about these resources\u2026and these are all free? Oh my gosh,\u201d she recalls thinking. \u201cIt\u2019s great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sakae didn\u2019t just become a visitor \u2013 she volunteered for months and now serves as a graduate assistant at the Pantry while pursuing her master\u2019s in Nutrition and Food Science<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to pursue my dream education because everyone around me was helping my food security,\u201d Sakae says. \u201cIf I was always hungry, thinking about what and how I was going to eat tomorrow, I wouldn\u2019t be able to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"A
A student reaches for a food item to add to her basket of items. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Growing Need on College Campuses<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s definitely been an increase,\u201d says Assistant Director of Student Access to Community Services Frances Jelks-Brown<\/a>, who oversees the Pantry and Rocky\u2019s Closet<\/a>. She points to end-of-semester pressures, limited meal swipes and interruptions in SNAP benefits as contributing factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cFood insecurity is a major concern for our students, particularly when we\u2019re 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,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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> \u2013 a trend echoed in faculty research that led to the creation of Montclair\u2019s Hunger Free Campus Task Force<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

I was able to pursue my dream education because everyone around me was helping my food security.\u201d ~ Kaori Sakae, graduate student<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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. \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Frances
Assistant Director of Student Access to Community Services Frances Jelks-Brown, who oversees the Red Hawk Pantry and Rocky\u2019s Closet and helped secure a grant to open a pantry at Bloomfield College of ÌÇÐÄvlog, assists a student. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How Montclair Is Working Toward a Hunger-Free Campus<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Montclair\u2019s response is broad and collaborative, with multiple departments \u2013 from the Student Health Center<\/a> to University Facilities<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 sponsoring food collection drives to meet students\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are able to meet the need, but needs continue to grow,\u201d deCarvalho says, noting the necessity for limited hours of operation and restrictions on the number of items visitors can take per visit.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Director of Advocacy and Outreach Adela Caceres. Fresh produce is also supplied by Gourmet Dining and the Montclair Campus Community Garden<\/a>. \u201cStudents come in, we give them a bag, and they leave with fresh fruits and vegetables,\u201d Jelks-Brown says.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Gourmet Dining’s Director of Dining and Wellness Jennifer Bostedo says that their NOURISH program endeavors to \u201cmake 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additional support comes from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey<\/a> and the Inserra Family<\/a>, 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<\/a> and the Latin American Student Organization.<\/p>\n

\"Mahir
Student Mahir Ahmed, who works at the Pantry, checks in two students. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

De-stigmatizing the Need for Services and Support<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sakae says international students often face additional challenges, citing ineligibility for federal aid, limited work opportunities and lack of transportation.<\/p>\n

One Pantry visitor, Ahmed Moussa, who is legally blind, says student staffers go out of their way to ensure accessibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been a great help,\u201d Moussa says, explaining that accommodations such as flexible hours and personalized assistance make the Pantry easier to navigate.<\/p>\n

A welcoming environment also may play a role in students\u2019 seeking services, says Caceres, adding that Montclair has worked hard to “de-stigmatize\u201d request for services.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur student staff are trained to approach every single visitor with a welcoming demeanor and in a respectful and dignified manner as they seek support,\u201d she says, adding, that in addition to surging costs and instability of public resources, such as SNAP, \u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Director of Advocacy and Outreach<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Learning While Giving Back<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For Sakae, working at the Pantry is both educational and gratifying.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day is a new learning,\u201d she says. \u201cSome students don\u2019t have microwaves. Some have dietary restrictions. Having all different kinds of food and being able to help them is really, really rewarding. That\u2019s what I love.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"Monica
Students Monica Morales and Mahir Ahmed weigh a bag of food items donated to the Food Pantry, as Kaori Sakae logs it into her computer. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Expanding Resources for Students<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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<\/a>, expand access to food, transportation and emergency grocery assistance at Montclair, while also supporting ongoing research on student food insecurity.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

As deCarvalho puts it, \u201cIf you don\u2019t have money for food, you probably don\u2019t have money for toiletries. It\u2019s 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\u2019re also helping them thrive in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s definitely how Sakae sees it: \u201cBeing 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Resources Available to Students, Faculty and Staff<\/strong><\/h2>\n