IVCC and community colleges launch Feed the Need food drive

Illinois Valley Community College is joining community colleges across Illinois this fall to address food insecurity and provide vital support to students and their communities.

The second annual Feed the Need Campus Food Drive, an effort to collect non-perishable food items and toiletries for local food pantries and campus-based food banks, is underway and will continue through December 1.

The drive encourages friendly competition among participating campuses, with a commemorative plaque awarded to the college that collects the most items. Organizers hope to exceed the more than 91,000 items collected in last year’s drive.

“Food insecurity remains one of the biggest barriers to student success,” said Brian Durham, Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), which sponsors the initiative. “By joining forces across the state, community colleges can make a meaningful difference not only on campus but also in the communities they serve.”

The number of students that IVCC’s Eagles Peak Food Pantry serves has grown steadily since it was established in 2023. The statewide food drive comes at the approach of the holiday season when demand on food pantries is expected to increase.

“Our students are accessing our pantry now more than ever, and this competition is a way for us to show the whole state what I already know … that our campus community is so generous and focused on serving our students. It is my hope that we can find ways to provide different items and have some fun competition along the way,” said IVCC President Dr. Tracy Morris.

Some 430 visits – a record number for a single month – were recorded for Eagles Peak in September as students sought snacks, basic needs items and grocery supplies, according to Ashlee Fitzpatrick, Associate Director of Retention at IVCC.

“We are very fortunate to have partnerships with Riverbend Food Bank and Hy-Vee to help keep our pantry stocked. We have also had generous donations from United Way of Illinois Valley, community members, and IVCC employees this past year that have helped fill the gaps,” Fitzpatrick added. The pantry will also receive two new standup freezers through the Feel Good Fridge program.

Students, faculty, staff, and community members can donate non-perishable food items and basic needs items to the collection box located outside the Counseling Office, CTC 202. The list includes pantry staples such as rice, broth, seasonings and condiments, flour and sugar, canned fruits and vegetables, pancake mix and ground coffee, as well as full-size shampoo, deodorant, body wash and dish soap.

Colleges will report their collection totals to the ICCB in December, and the college that collects the most food will be recognized at the ICCB Board Meeting in January 2026.

“Feed the Need represents the mission of community colleges—meeting students where they are, addressing real challenges, and building stronger communities together,” said ICCB Board Chair Dr. Sylvia Jenkins.