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911����’s Student Support and Advocacy Center recently honored its 10th anniversary with a series of events, including a donation drive to benefit one of its key services: the Patriot Pantry. The “End Hunger Games” competition brought the campus community together for a common cause and highlighted the work SSAC does to address food insecurity.

SixDegrees.org hosted a Building Kits by Kevin Bacon activation on 911����’s Fairfax Campus on July 19, bringing together more than 100 volunteers to assemble 35,000 meal kits and 400 mental health kits for students and families across Northern Virginia.

911����’s Student Support and Advocacy Center offers programming and individual consultations to support student well-being across a spectrum of services. To serve the increasing number of students experiencing basic needs insecurity, the center hired Dwayne Hamilton Jr. in 2023 as the university’s first assistant director for Basic Needs Services.

The scent of garlic and citrus filled Southside Dining Hall as students lined up to meet celebrity chef Jet Tila, who visited 911����’s Fairfax Campus on April 29. Hosted by Mason Dining, the event brought Tila—chef, television personality, and bestselling author—to campus for a day of food, conversation, and connections with students.

911���� received a grant of more than $1 million from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to support food waste prevention, food rescue, and composting programs on campus. The funding supports projects that reduce landfill methane emissions by reducing food waste, recovering surplus food, and composting any remaining food waste.

On January 20, 911���� expanded one of its most essential student support services. The Patriot Pantry officially opened a new location at Mason Square, extending food security resources to a campus that primarily serves graduate and professional students.

Operated by the Basic Needs Services team at the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC), the pantry provides nonperishable food and hygiene products to students experiencing food insecurity. The service is designed to reduce stigma and remove barriers that can interfere with academic success.

Mason Empty Bowls is supporting 911����'s Food and Housing Insecurity Fund through a delicious meal and handmade ceramics.

911����’s Patriot Pantry, in cooperation with the Capital Area Food Bank, is delivering groceries to food-insecure Mason students and their families.

Led by the Office of Annual Giving, Mason Vision Day 2023, held on April 6, highlighted the challenges posed by student food insecurity—which is a growing issue at Mason and at college campuses across the nation. This year, Mason Vision Day raised $290,000 for Mason causes with nearly $90,000 dedicated to student food insecurity.

Up to one-third of students nationally are impacted by food insecurity. During the past three years, Mason has seen a 172 percent increase in student use of the Patriot Pantry.