HPU Students Collect Largest Donation of Food for Hunger Challenge
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Mar 03rd, 2026

HPU Students Collect Largest Donation of Food for Hunger Challenge

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A team of High Point University students collected more than 21,000 cans and nonperishable food items, which were distributed to local food pantries as part of the recent North Carolina Campus Engagement Hunger Challenge. A Food Lion manager was pictured at left with HPU Hunger Challenge Ambassadors Kay Gattison and Tenisha Cherenfant to demonstrate the partnership that raises awareness about food insecurity and actively supports hunger relief efforts.

HIGH POINT, N.C., March 3, 2026 – A team of High Point University students collected more than 21,000 cans and nonperishable food items, which were distributed to local food pantries as part of the recent North Carolina Campus Engagement Hunger Challenge.

This is by far the largest number of items collected since HPU students started competing in the Hunger Challenge two years ago. HPU collected more than 4,000 canned goods for last year’s Hunger Challenge and around 3,770 nonperishable items in 2024.

The Collegiate Hunger Challenge was created by Food Lion Feeds and North Carolina Campus Engagement, a network of colleges and universities committed to preparing students for civic and social responsibility. The partnership awards a $10,000 overall prize and a $5,000 prize to the top team from each sector — four-year public colleges, four-year private/independent institutions and community colleges.

HPU Volunteer Center Executive Council members helped host the Hunger Challenge Bash as a kickoff to get students excited about the challenge and educate them about additional events. Pictured from left at the Slane Student Center Philanthropy Tables, where students could contribute nonperishable food, were council members including Hunger Challenge Ambassador Tenisha Cherenfant, Indya Spears, Dillon Pickney, Gayden Hill, Angelica Bajenoff, Hunger Challenge Ambassador Kay Gattison, Treasure Brown, Mae Culbreth and Jack Migdal Green.
HPU Volunteer Center Executive Council members helped host the Hunger Challenge Bash as a kickoff to get students excited about the challenge and educate them about additional events. Pictured from left at the Slane Student Center Philanthropy Tables, where students could contribute nonperishable food, were council members including Hunger Challenge Ambassador Tenisha Cherenfant, Indya Spears, Dillon Pickney, Gayden Hill, Angelica Bajenoff, Hunger Challenge Ambassador Kay Gattison, Treasure Brown, Mae Culbreth and Jack Migdal Green.

HPU Hunger Challenge ambassadors collaborated with student clubs and organizations across campus during the food drive. While HPU did not earn first place among small private colleges this year, individuals and families served by local food pantries benefited from the students’ efforts.

In addition, as a direct result of this year’s efforts, an HPU alumna launched a new food pantry at Oak Grove Baptist Church to further address food insecurity in the High Point community.

“The Hunger Challenge is important to me because food insecurity is a real issue that affects families in our own community, not just in distant places,” said Khayla “Kay” Gattison, a senior sociology and anthropology major with a minor in criminal justice. “It’s easy to overlook, but so many people are struggling quietly. Being part of this challenge allows me to raise awareness, take action and stand in solidarity with those who don’t have consistent access to meals.”

Gattison’s commitment to supporting the community goes beyond participating in just the Hunger Challenge. She is beginning her career as a behavioral technician with Compleat Kidz in High Point to provide one-on-one support to children by implementing behavior intervention plans.

“I’m dedicated to showing up consistently, whether that’s through service initiatives, advocacy or encouraging others to get involved,” said Gattison, who is from Darlington, South Carolina. “I believe real impact happens when we move with intention and stay committed, not just when it’s convenient.”

Serving alongside Gattison as a Hunger Challenge ambassador was personally rewarding for Tenisha Cherenfant, a senior sport management major who is pursuing a minor in strategic communication. Her role involved raising awareness, encouraging student engagement, promoting events, educating peers and mobilizing volunteers to participate in collection drives, service projects and community partnerships.

“Food insecurity is a real issue affecting so many individuals and families in our community that we don’t even notice, and being able to play even a small role in addressing it means a lot to me,” said Cherenfant, who is from Randallstown, Maryland. “My commitment to supporting the community goes beyond just this one event. It’s about being intentional, showing up consistently and using my voice and leadership to create meaningful impact. The Hunger Challenge is a reminder that when we come together with a shared purpose, we can make a real difference. I’m excited to continue serving and advocating for those in need.”

Wanda Kaye Tillman, a Class of 2005 alumna from Thomasville, North Carolina, felt inspired after partnering with HPU for the Hunger Challenge. It was a life-changing opportunity for her, and she helped launch the new food pantry at Oak Grove Baptist Church.

“The congregation’s outpouring of support and passion for these efforts was truly overwhelming,” said Tillman, who majored in business management administration at HPU. “Oak Grove Baptist Church is located in a below-poverty-level area of the city, and we combined this reality with the enthusiasm generated by the Hunger Challenge to determine our next step: establishing an onsite food pantry. We are currently researching the guidelines required to open a local pantry and identifying available resources, with a target launch goal by the beginning of the second quarter of 2026.”