Centenary University receives $27,500 state grant to expand food insecurity programs
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Warren County) — Centenary University has been awarded a $27,500 grant from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to support campus initiatives addressing student food insecurity, the university announced Wednesday.
Centenary is one of 36 colleges and universities statewide to receive a share of $1.2 million in Hunger-Free Campus Act funding, which supports on-campus food pantries and outreach efforts connecting students with programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“Too often, the serious problem of food insecurity on college campuses goes unseen,” said Centenary University Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Administration Kerry Mullins. “Students facing housing instability may also struggle just to get enough to eat—a hardship that can derail academic success and graduation. Some of these students stay on campus through vacations or over the summer when dining halls are closed, relying on resources like our campus food pantry for daily nourishment. As an institution committed to student well-being and success, Centenary ensures that every student’s basic needs—food, shelter, and dignity—are met so they can truly thrive academically.”
This year’s funding will support programs organized through Centenary’s Hunger Free Task Force, which leads the university’s efforts to eliminate food insecurity. A portion of the grant will be used to hire a resource coordinator and case manager to help students navigate available social services, including on-campus resources such as the Cyclone Kitchen and the Swipe Out Hunger Program, which provides confidential meal swipes through Centenary’s food service provider, Sodexo.
A new initiative, Cyclone Take Home, will begin distributing leftover food from campus events to students in need via the Cyclone Kitchen.
The resource coordinator/case manager will also connect students with off-campus assistance such as SNAP, WIC and local food banks. The grant additionally supports a free courtesy bus that transports students to Hackettstown retailers participating in SNAP, including Target, Walmart, Wawa, QuickChek, CVS, ShopRite and Weis. The bus operates throughout the academic year, including during breaks when dining services may be limited.
Centenary said two prior Hunger-Free Campus grants allowed the university to expand the Cyclone Kitchen from a single shelf of canned goods into a fully stocked pantry offering nonperishable items, fresh produce, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, cleaning supplies, paper goods, school supplies and loaner cooking equipment. The pantry is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
