Help Feed Students in Need!

From Surplus to Support: NIU’s Huskie Harvest is redefining how colleges can fight food insecurity and food waste at the same time. Since its launch in 2023, the initiative has recovered more than 21,000 pounds of surplus catered food, transforming it into over 24,000 free, ready-to-heat meals for students. 

Research shows up to 45% of college students face food insecurity. This issue disproportionately impacts students of color (48% of NIU student body), and first-generation students (56% of 2025 NIU freshman class). With this in mind, Huskie Harvest was created.  

Rooted in both sustainability and access, Huskie Harvest protects the environment from needless waste while easing students’ stress of going hungry. Open to anyone in need—even if just for a single meal—the program ensures no student must choose between food and their future. By offering meals at four campus locations, Huskie Harvest is also dismantling the stigma around food insecurity. Students can simply open a freezer and choose from a variety of healthy, dignified options. Nearly 700 meals are delivered each week to students at Wirtz Hall, Campus Rec, the Music Building, and the Huskie Food Pantry. 

In just the past year, the program has grown tremendously - recovering more food and reaching more students than ever before. Yet demand continues to outpace supply. With each new delivery, the freezers are nearly bare, a reminder that too many students are still going without. 

With your support, we can keep freezers stocked, expand our reach, and continue fueling student success with every meal. Contributions will be used to assist in the coordination of volunteers for food recovery and expanded distribution efforts. Together, we can ensure that no Huskie goes hungry.