Football isn’t the only competition the Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels in this season. NC State took home the win in the annual Pantry Bowl, a competition to raise money for student food pantries.
NC State received 1,634 gifts compared to UNC-Chapel Hill’s 1,014. The competition raised a total of $199,289.08 between both food pantries.
The competition, which happens during the week leading up to NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill’s annual match-up, harnesses the rivalry between the two universities to help raise money for their respective student food pantries.
Carlisle Watts, a third-year studying business administration at UNC-Chapel Hill and president of Carolina Cupboard, said the competition is a great idea to fundraise, but it’s the money for the food pantries that count.
“I think the pairing with an opposing team helps get people excited about the cause and the competition,” Watts said. “Obviously we want to win, but any amount of money going to food insecurity and helping Tar Heels and the Wolfpack is an amazing thing.”
This year, NC State collected more donations than the 2022 Pantry Bowl, meaning alumni TJ and Erin Tranthan will donate an additional $15,000.
Feed the Pack is NC State’s food pantry open to all students, staff and faculty located in North Hall. Students can get involved individually or with a group to help raise funds and encourage people to donate.
Organizations such as sororities, clubs or churches are welcome to pair with Feed the Pack to help support or host a fundraiser for donations. Individually, students can volunteer for shifts at the food bank.
Alyssa Griffin, a graduate student in the marine earth and atmospheric science program and Feed the Pack food pantry’s manager, said the easiest way to get involved is to help reduce stigma.
“If you have a peer that’s confiding in you that they’re having a hard time affording food or that they’re skipping meals, letting them know that this is a resource that’s on campus that’s open to anyone with an NC State ID rather than judging,” Griffin said.
Griffin said one in five college students struggle with food insecurity, and Feed the Pack aims to help reduce those numbers.
“The majority of the time when student’s budgets are stretched thin, food is one of the first things that they kind of let go and not prioritize,” Griffin said.
Students can come during operating hours, swipe their ID and pick out items just like they would at a grocery store. All students are welcome to utilize this resource. Earlier this year, the pantry relocated and expanded its services to offer cookware and kitchen appliances, winter clothing and a lounge area.
Money collected from the Pantry Bowl is used to purchase food to stock both food pantries.
“The money goes towards operating expenses, buying supplies for the pantry, both in the form mostly food produce and stuff like that,” said Griffin.
Visit the Pantry Bowl website for more information.
