SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Community Colleges recently worked together to address food insecurity on campuses across the state, with a collective effort that doubled in size in its second year.

The 2nd annual Feed the Need Campus Food Drive, which started in 2024 to help combat food insecurity on college campuses and support students in need, collected nearly 180,000 individual non-perishable food items for local campus and community food banks. That number dwarfs 2024’s total of nearly 91,000 food items collected

“Food insecurity affects students in every region of Illinois, and community colleges remain united in addressing this challenge. Through Feed The Need, we are demonstrating how a coordinated, statewide effort—powered by a little friendly competition—can make a real difference in supporting students and strengthening our campus communities,” said Illinois Community College Board Executive Director Brian Durham.

Elgin Community College (ECC) took home the top spot in this year’s Feed the Need Campus Food Drive, collecting more than 34,000 individual non-perishable items and will receive a commemorative plaque given to each year’s winner.

“Winning this year’s Feed the Need competition reflects something far more important than a title,” said Peggy Heinrich, EdD, president of Elgin Community College. “It shows how deeply our students and employees care about supporting one another. Access to basic needs is essential for student success. I am incredibly proud of our campus for coming together to support the Spartan Food Pantry and the students who rely on it.”

ECC surpassed last year’s winner, John Wood Community College (Quincy), which was again among the top 5 donating schools, along with Illinois Eastern Community College, College of DuPage, and Shawnee Community College. In all, more than half of all Illinois Community Colleges took part in this year’s Feed The Need Campus Food Drive contest.

“We are grateful for the commitment shown by every community college that has embraced our statewide Feed The Need Campaign. Their collective generosity is helping students thrive, and we look forward to seeing this initiative expand even further as more colleges join the effort,” said Illinois Community College Board Chair Dr. Sylvia Jenkins.

Food insecurity remains a significant challenge for college students nationwide, with recent data showing that approximately 41 % of students report food insecurity — meaning they lack consistent access to sufficient food according to the 2023–2024 Student Basic Needs Survey by Temple University’s Hope Center. Other national analyses suggest that overall food insecurity prevalence among U.S. college students can exceed 40 %, markedly higher than estimates for the general U.S. adult population.

Food insecurity continues to disproportionately affect students of color, with the latest Hope Center survey showing that 54 percent of Black or African American college students and 50 percent of Hispanic or Latino students experience food insecurity. In Illinois, hunger remains a serious statewide issue, affecting approximately 10.6 percent of residents, or around 1.3 million people, according to Feeding America.

The Feed the Need Campus Food Drive is part of a systemwide effort involving Illinois community colleges working together to support those facing hunger. Through a friendly competition, participating colleges rallied their students, faculty, and community partners to donate food for those struggling with food insecurity, both on campus and in the local communities.

The non-perishable food collected during the drive directly benefits many on-campus or community food pantries, ensuring that many have access to meals when they need them most.