Food Insecurity Awareness Week at the College of Charleston
The Office of Community Engagement and Cougar Pantry are hosting a series of events during Food Insecurity Awareness Week, Feb. 9–13, to encourage conversations about an issue that impacts our students every day.
Above: Cougar Pantry founder Megan Stover ’19 speaks to Cougar Pantry visitors on opening day (2018). (Photo by Mike Ledford)
It’s hard to think of little else when you’re preoccupied with where your next meal will come from, how you’ll ration out the food you do have or what you can sacrifice in order to keep the hunger at bay. Truth be told, it’s hard to think of anything at all when you don’t have the right nutrition fueling your body.
And yet, these are the things that an estimated two in five college students in the United States face every single day – making food insecurity more than a lack of food, but a very real barrier to student success.
“Food insecurity is a growing issue and is rapidly becoming something that many people, unfortunately, experience, particularly college students,” says Kara Peterson, assistant director of student involvement for facilities and operations at the College of Charleston. “Food insecurity can lead to students experiencing malnutrition, impacts to overall physical and mental health, and impacts to academic performance and retention.
“On our campus, we have seen a large portion of the student population affected by this growing issue to some degree, whether in the form of lack of quality and variability in diet or adequate amounts of food,” adds Peterson, who oversees the Cougar Pantry, the student-led donation-based organization created to combat food insecurity among CofC students. Since August 2025, 692 visits have been made to the Cougar Pantry.
And this is exactly why the Office of Community Engagement is collaborating with the Cougar Pantry to highlight the issue during Food Insecurity Awareness Week (Feb. 9–13). With engaging events and volunteer opportunities, Food Insecurity Awareness Week is meant to bring food insecurity to light and make students comfortable with conversations around the issue.
“The goal of Food Insecurity Awareness Week is to create conversations amongst our campus community and educate students on different ways to help combat the issue – such as couponing and using campus resources like Cougar Pantry – and to help students feel comfortable with using these resources,” says Peterson. “We hope our and Office of Community Engagement’s week of food insecurity awareness events helps to get these conversations started, destigmatize the issue and make an impact within the campus.”
To this end, OCE student-ambassadors Kimora Khamkaykeo and Christopher Labrada-Naovarath will host live reels throughout the week on the OCE’s Instagram, raising awareness about food insecurity on campus through student and staff interviews.
In addition, both Peterson and Vice President for Community Engagement Courtney Howard will be featured this week on the OCE’s Instagram series, Cougars in the Kitchen, with additional reels rolling out throughout the semester.
Check out these Food Insecurity Awareness Week events at the College of Charleston, Feb. 9–13!
Take a Picture with Clyde
Monday, Feb. 9, 12–2 p.m.
Across Campus
Keep an eye out around campus for Clyde the Cougar as he hands out the calendar of Food Insecurity Awareness Week events. Snap a photo with him and post it to Instagram, tagging @oce_cofc and @cougarpantrycofc to help spread the word!
Couponing with Jenny Martin
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 5–7 p.m.
School of Education Alumni Center
Join Jenny Martin of Southern Savers for a fun and rewarding couponing session where you’ll learn how to shop smarter and save more. Snag deals, save money and become a coupon pro! Complimentary food will be provided.
Eat Well, Live Well: FoodShare Tabling
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Cougar Mall
FoodShare South Carolina is coming to campus for a tabling event, where Wilton Stewart, the program director, will share information about the program and its impactful work and how the campus community can get involved. Attendees will receive 2026 calendars, informational handouts and fresh food boxes with 9–11 heathy fruits and vegetables, as well as recipe cards and nutrition tips. With a mission of increasing access to, knowledge of and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables through community-led projects, FoodShare South Carolina aims to enhance quality of life in diverse communities by expanding access to fresh, affordable produce and offering quality cooking skills education.
Crafting with Cougar Pantry
Wednesday, Feb. 11, 3–5 p.m.
Cougar Pantry (26 Coming St.)
It’s time to craft, create and connect! Get creative and make fun crafts while learning about the Cougar Pantry services. The goal is to help our community be comfortable with openly talking about the issue of food insecurity on campus.
Open Mic Night
Thursday, Feb. 12, 5–7 p.m.
School of Education Alumni Center
Looking for a way to express yourself and your experiences with food insecurity? You can sing a song, tell a story, write a poem, paint a painting, perform an act or share any talent that you feel best expresses the struggle with food insecurity experienced by you, your friends or family, your community or the world.
Rise Against Hunger Meal Packaging Service Event
Friday, Feb. 13, 3–4:30 p.m.
Silcox Center, Room 215
To help fight global hunger, the College is holding a campuswide service event to pack 10,000 meals for Rise Against Hunger. This is a great opportunity to connect with others, make a tangible difference and contribute to a meaningful cause. Volunteers will pack meals, as well as assist with setup and breakdown before and after the event. Email [email protected] for a link to register for this impactful day of service.
All events are hosted by the Office of Community Engagement and the Cougar Pantry. For additional information about the events planned during Food Insecurity Awareness Week, email [email protected].
