ECC Joins Statewide Hunger Relief Campaign

Newark, N.J. – Essex County College has joined with New Jersey’s 16 community colleges to launch Feed the Future: Fight Student Hunger, a statewide initiative to combat student food insecurity.

The campaign officially kicks off the week of September 22–26, 2025, during National Hunger Action Month, and is a partnership of New Jersey’s Community Colleges, the Future Alumni Support Team (FAST), and the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC).

Food insecurity is a significant barrier to student success. A recent Hope Center #RealCollege survey found that 39% of New Jersey community college students reported experiencing food insecurity in the 30 days prior to the survey, reflecting national trends. Feed the Future is designed to help ensure students can focus on their studies without worrying about their next meal.

At ECC, this effort builds on the College’s longstanding support of students through its on-campus food pantry and related resources.

“We are proud to be a part of an initiative that normalizes access and reframes our thinking about best practices for food pantries on college campuses,” said ECC President Dr. Augustine A. Boakye. “At ECC, our food pantry emphasizes treating food assistance with compassion, support and dignity. As a space for change, our foundational goal is to always meet students where they are while promoting a sense of belonging.”

Feed the Future: Fight Student Hunger provides a simple way for donors to make a direct impact. Funds are being raised through the online platform Spotfund.com. Donors can visit the website, https://www.spotfund.com/teams/njccc, choose to support Essex County College, and all funds raised will go directly to Essex County College  to support its food pantry and other nutrition-focused programs.

For more information about Feed the Future: Fight Student Hunger and to donate, please visit https://www.spotfund.com/teams/njccc.