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SixDegrees.org partners with 911�� to support families, students

ckearney — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:19:59 +0000

SixDegrees.org partners with 911�� to support families, students ckearney Wed, 07/29/2026 - 14:19

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.

More than 100 volunteers to assemble 35,000 meal kits and 400 mental health kits for students and families across Northern Virginia at the SixDegrees.org July activation. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The event, put on by SixDegrees.org, a Fairfax, Virginia-based nonprofit founded by actor Kevin Bacon, brought together 911�� faculty and staff, alumni, community members, and local nonprofits.

"Action is hope," Bacon told attendees, thanking them for turning their time and effort into tangible support for others.

The partnership grew out of conversations about the Patriot Pantry and the challenges many students face because of food insecurity, said Stacy Huston, chief executive officer of SixDegrees.org. "911�� is doing such a wonderful job on campus with these resources. It seemed like a natural partner."

The collaboration extends beyond the July event. 911�� global and community health professor Ali Weinstein and SixDegrees.org are conducting a research project examining how providing tangible forms of support—such as mental health kits—may affect both the people receiving assistance and the volunteers providing it.

President Gregory Washington with actor Kevin Bacon. Photo by Andani Gene Munkaila/Office of University Branding

911�� President Gregory Washington said the partnership reflects the university's commitment to supporting students in ways that extend beyond academics. "At 911��, we know that student success extends beyond the classroom,” Washington said. “Partnering with SixDegrees.org was an easy decision because we share a commitment to supporting students' well-being."

Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell said that partnerships like this reflect University Life's commitment to fostering connection, belonging, and community engagement. “When universities and community organizations work together, we can make a meaningful difference while building relationships that extend well beyond a single day of service,” Pascarell said.

The event will have an immediate impact on the 911�� community. While most of the meal kits will be distributed by Food for Others throughout Fairfax County, a portion will remain at 911�� to support students through the Patriot Pantry.

SixDegress.org CEO Stacy Huston, with President Gregory Washington, and Vice President Rose Pascarell. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Volunteers also assembled 400 mental health kits in partnership with Find Your Anchor. The kits contain practical resources, messages of encouragement, and information designed to support someone experiencing emotional distress and to encourage them to seek additional help. The kits will be distributed to 911�� students throughout the year at mental health, well-being, and suicide prevention awareness events.

Rachel Wernicke, 911��'s chief mental health officer, said the kits complement the university's broader efforts to support student well-being. "Find Your Anchor is an organization dedicated to supporting people who may be impacted by suicide by offering hope and a reminder that they are not alone. This initiative aligns closely with Mason’s suicide prevention efforts,” Wernicke said.

Huston said she hopes the partnership with 911�� will encourage other organizations and communities to pursue similar collaborations. "Stories don’t just inform; they also inspire. You might see what's happening at 911��, and another community might say, 'What would it look like for us to do that here?'"

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911��’s Dwayne Hamilton Jr. makes room at the table for students facing basic needs insecurity

lclarkg — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:01:29 +0000

911��’s Dwayne Hamilton Jr. makes room at the table for students facing basic needs insecurity lclarkg Wed, 07/08/2026 - 10:01

Students at colleges and universities experience basic needs insecurity at higher rates than the general population, sometimes facing difficult choices between paying for their academic expenses—or paying for their basic needs.

911��’s Student Support and Advocacy Center offers programming and individual consultations to support student well-being across a spectrum of services, including basic needs, as well as sexual and interpersonal violence, financial well-being, substance use, and more.

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.

Dwayne Hamilton manages programs and resources that help students facing basic needs insecurities, including the Patriot Pantry. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“An institution having full-time staff members dedicated to addressing basic needs insecurity is rare in the current higher education landscape,” said Hamilton. “The creation of this position demonstrates 911��’s dedication to supporting this population of students.”

The Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey, which surveyed students at 91 colleges and universities across 16 states between spring 2023 and summer 2024, found that 59% of students experienced some form of basic needs insecurity, with 41% experiencing food insecurity, 48% experiencing housing insecurity, and 14% experiencing homelessness.

At 911��, Hamilton manages programs that address these insecurities, including the Patriot Pantry. He serves as a case manager for students experiencing food, housing, and other basic needs insecurities, providing direct support services through one-on-one consultations and resource allocation.

“My role’s dual emphasis on case and project management fosters a continuity of care, minimizing gaps in support as students transition from case management meetings to enrollment in basic needs programs,” said Hamilton.

For example, when a student discloses basic needs insecurity during a meeting, Hamilton can immediately enroll them in eligible programs, creating a seamless, direct connection between services.

“This model not only prioritizes efficient student services but also prevents students from having to disclose their experiences to multiple parties,” said Hamilton.

Students may experience food insecurity when facing challenges like tight budgets, balancing school and work, lack of transportation or access to affordable food within the reach of campus, limited food storage space in dorms, and the requirements to qualify for food assistance.

Students attending an institution of higher education more than half-time are eligible for the Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) only if they meet an exemption and meet all other SNAP eligibility requirements.

Currently, about one in four 911�� students is in the first generation of their family to attend college, and 34% of 911�� students qualify for federal Pell Grants, which are awarded to undergraduates with exceptional financial need.

The need for on-campus basic needs services has increased in recent years. At 911��, the Patriot Pantry experienced a 16% increase in student usage during the 2025–26 academic year. A survey of Patriot Pantry users during that time revealed that in the past 12 months, 90% of respondents reported worrying that their food would run out before they had money to buy more. Eighty-six percent of respondents indicated they could not always afford to eat balanced meals, and 83% reported eating less than they felt they should due to lack of money for food.

Eight out of 10 of these students said that hunger or lack of food negatively impacted their academic performance, including attendance, focus, and assignment completion.

“Beyond the already high cost of living in Fairfax County, rising food and housing costs further intensify students’ basic needs insecurity, increasing reliance on support services,” said Hamilton.

The university is addressing this growing need by expanding the Patriot Pantry on the Fairfax Campus, which is scheduled to open at a new location in the Johnson Center in fall 2027; adding an additional Patriot Pantry at Mason Square; and using funding sources awarded by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), like the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry Grant Program.

Hamilton loves seeing projects evolve from ideas to actions that support students. He is particularly proud of the Digital Purchasing Card program, which provides students with monthly monetary support that can be spent at grocery retailers nationwide. The Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, a donor-generated fund, supports this work. University Life recognized Hamilton with an Outstanding Service Award for his work on this program and broader contributions to the basic needs area.

Before working at 911��, Hamilton completed his MEd in student affairs administration in higher education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro while serving as a case manager for students experiencing bias/discrimination, financial instability, basic needs insecurity, Title IX incidents, and health concerns. He is now pursuing a PhD in education in 911��’s College of Education and Human Development.

The work supporting basic needs services can be intense at times, according to Hamilton. Outside work, he stays busy with his church’s educational organizations and music ministry.

“With the heaviness of this role, my church serves as a space to decompress, center my well-being, and reconnect to my calling to continue this work.”

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Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity

lclarkg — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:55:14 +0000

Visit from Chef Jet Tila supports students facing food insecurity lclarkg Thu, 05/21/2026 - 10:55

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.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila is known for his appearances on The Food Network’s Iron Chef America, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. Students had three opportunities to meet and chat with Tila: at Southside Dining Hall, the Johnson Center, and Ike’s Dining Hall.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Tila’s visit also supported students facing food insecurity at 911��. While Tila prepared meals at Southside for lunch, every meal swipe was matched by Mason Dining with a donation to the Student Support and Advocacy Center. As a result, more than 1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit 911�� students facing food insecurity.

1,500 meal swipes were donated to benefit 911�� students facing food insecurity. Photo by Andani Munkaila/Mason Dining

Later, Tila hosted a live cooking demonstration and Q&A in the Johnson Center, where he talked with students and shared stories from his upbringing immersed in his family’s restaurants.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The day concluded at Ike’s, where the first 50 students received signed copies of Tila’s cookbooks.

Tila’s signature style of food fit in remarkably well at 911��: bold flavors rooted in tradition, with a modern edge.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

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Grant from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will reduce food waste and expand composting operations at 911��

lclarkg — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:21:35 +0000

Grant from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality will reduce food waste and expand composting operations at 911�� lclarkg Thu, 05/07/2026 - 09:21

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.

911�� received the second-largest award of any Virginia institution of higher education.

Photo by University Sustainability

The Virginia DEQ has awarded nearly $8 million to 12 Virginia colleges and universities to reduce food waste across the commonwealth. The funding is provided through the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program.

Through this grant, University Sustainability and Mason Dining will lead a university-wide food rescue and composting program to reduce food waste, address student food insecurity, and keep compostable material from going in the trash. This includes the creation of a dedicated Food Rescue Hub, implementing artificial intelligence technology in dining halls to identify and prevent food waste, and adding critical personnel and infrastructure to expand and improve compost and food rescue operations.

"We are focused on developing a campus-wide system for addressing food waste—from prevention, to rescue, to composting,” said Amber Saxton, program manager for University Sustainability. “Working with campus stakeholders, we identified critical needs, and we will use [this grant] to address those needs and build a leading model for change together."

Bigbelly units help reduce waste on campus with recycling and composting options. Photo by Facilities and Campus Operations

The grant will fund improvements to composting operations. 911�� has some composting infrastructure, which helped increase its composting rate from 49 tons in FY2020 to 298 tons in FY2024. However, a recent waste contamination audit of a university dining hall revealed that 74% of dining trash was compostable food waste. Improving food waste diversion at dining halls will support University Sustainability’s Zero Waste goal of diverting 90% of all waste away from trash incineration and landfills.

The grant will also fund a dedicated full-time compost coordinator to address strategic planning, compostable purchasing, and contamination monitoring.

The funding for food rescue efforts arrives at a critical time for the Patriot Pantry as well. The Patriot Pantry, 911��’s chapter of the Food Recovery Network, and Mason Dining are already working to address food insecurity on campus, but resources have not kept pace with the growing needs in this area.

The Patriot Pantry provides food and hygiene items at the Fairfax Campus and Mason Square and has experienced a 990% increase in use since it became a permanent student service in 2016. Plans are underway to open an expanded Patriot Pantry in the Johnson Center in early 2027, including the addition of free grab-and-go meals.

Volunteers from the Food Recovery Network have recovered extra food at campus dining halls and provided it to individuals in the surrounding community, but the new funds will allow these efforts to happen on campus as well.

“With the grant, we will be able to focus [food rescue] efforts on campus and provide grab-and-go meals through the Patriot Pantry to students who identify as food insecure,” said Jonathan Elwell, director of Dining Services.

The grant will fund a dedicated space and equipment for a new Food Rescue Hub in Southside Dining Hall, as well as two part-time student food rescue specialists, who will work with staff from Mason Dining and volunteers from the Food Recovery Network to package, label, and flash freeze surplus food (prepared but never served). The food will then be transported to the expanded Patriot Pantry in the Johnson Center.

911��’s chapter of the Food Recovery Network works to address food insecurity in the community. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

"The DEQ grant adding capacity to provide flash-frozen dining hall meals perfectly aligns with our relocation timing and goals,” said Dwayne Hamilton Jr., assistant director for basic needs services with the Student Support and Advocacy Center.

Any food waste not rescued in this new system will be collected as compost and hauled to a local industrial composting facility, diverting waste from landfills and incinerators.

Campus partners, including University Sustainability, Mason Dining, Auxiliary and Business Services, the Patriot Pantry, Recycling and Waste Management, the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning, and student leaders from the university's chapter of the Food Recovery Network will work together to implement these new food waste prevention and composting systems.

“Our goal was to rethink how we handle food from start to finish,” said Saxton. “By bringing partners together and building a shared vision, we created a sustainable model for change that will serve our university for years to come.”

Food rescue and composting at 911��

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Patriot Pantry expands to Mason Square

Katarina Benson — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:11:33 +0000

Patriot Pantry expands to Mason Square Katarina Benson Thu, 01/29/2026 - 16:11

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.

The idea to expand the Patriot Pantry to Mason Square began with students in Jennifer Sklarew’s EVPP 480 Sustainability in Action class who noticed a gap in resources for Mason Square’s predominantly graduate and professional student population.

The Pantry is housed in the Student Lounge in Van Metre Hall, Room 211. Photo provided

Environmental science major Julia Frost, environmental and sustainability studies majors Isabella Barrera and Crystal Park, and business major Noah Brown, mentored by Sklarew, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy, partnered with SSAC to create the new pantry. All four graduated in 2025.

With funding from a Mason Impact Mini Grant awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Education, the students funded the storage cabinet now used for pantry order pickup. SSAC assumed responsibility for operations, integrating the Mason Square location into its broader Basic Needs Services model and ensuring the pantry would function as a permanent, low-barrier resource.

“Food insecurity is a challenge no one should have to face, yet many do,” Barrera said. “Our goal is to help ensure that all students have access to a basic human right: food.”

The Patriot Pantry at Mason Square builds on a service with a long history at 911��. What began nearly 12 years ago on the Fairfax Campus as a volunteer-led effort became a permanent student service in 2016, housed within SSAC. Since then, pantry usage has increased by 990%.

The expansion was also supported by funds from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) through the Hunger-Free Campus Food Pantry grant program. These funds will be used to stock the Patriot Pantry at Mason Square with nonperishable food items and essential hygiene products.

Additional support was provided by a $10,000 College Pantry Grant from the Capital Area Food Bank, awarded to SSAC at a time when demand for basic needs support continues to grow.

Professor Jennifer Sklarew, Isabella Barrera, Crystal Park, and Noah Brown, with Melissa Thierry, director, University Life Regional Campuses, standing by the pick-up cabinet for the Patriot Pantry at Mason Square. Photo provided.

Dwayne Hamilton Jr., assistant director for Basic Needs Services, emphasized the pantry’s role in supporting students from diverse economic backgrounds, particularly graduate students who are often overlooked in higher education support services.

“Addressing basic needs concerns through the Patriot Pantry at Mason Square moves students toward the ideal experience at 911��: freedom and learning,” he said.

Students can now place orders through the Patriot Pantry at Mason Square order page and pick up items in the cabinet in the Student Lounge in Van Metre Hall, Room 211—a discreet, accessible location designed to prioritize privacy and dignity.

Community members may also support the pantry by donating nonperishable food and hygiene products through the Amazon Wishlist, contributing to the Student Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, or dropping off donations in the Student Lounge in Van Metre Hall, Room 211. A full list of accepted items is available on the Patriot Pantry homepage.

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Get tickets to the 2025 911�� Empty Bowls event.

911�� is fighting food insecurity, one Empty Bowl at a time

sholla4 — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:37:51 +0000

911�� is fighting food insecurity, one Empty Bowl at a time sholla4 Mon, 04/07/2025 - 12:37

If you’re taking a bowl home from a party, most people leave with leftovers in hand. But at 911��’s annual Empty Bowls event, the guests leave with just that: a handmade, and very empty, ceramic bowl.

Bowl selection at the inaugural Mason empty Bowls in 2024. Photo provided

Empty Bowls is a global grassroots movement to support food-related charities and educate people on issues of poverty and hunger in their local communities. At Empty Bowls events, guests give a donation in exchange for a handmade ceramic bowl and a simple soup meal, leaving the event with an empty bowl as a reminder of how many people go without food in the local community.

The idea of Empty Bowls at 911�� started in the least surprising of places: a pottery studio.

Maggie Daniels, professor of tourism and events management in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), and Lauren Long, executive director of Student Involvement, share a love for pottery. Both of them are long-time potters at Manassas Clay. Together, Daniels and Long decided to bring Empty Bowls to 911��, in support of the Food and Housing Insecurity Fund through the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC).

In order for students to succeed, their basic needs must be met, including stable housing, physical safety, and access to food. The SSAC was started to help connect students with resources as they face life challenges, including ensuring their basic needs are fulfilled. The Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, a donor-generated fund, supports this work.

“About one-third of all college students have experienced some type of food insecurity in the past year,” explained Margaret Olszewska, director of the SSAC. “Food insecurity covers a wide spectrum of situations in which a person lacks consistent access to nutritionally adequate and safe food. It ranges from not eating healthy food due to lack of resources, to missing entire meals.”

The fund supports students at all levels of food insecurity through various programs and resources. In 2024 in collaboration with Sodexo, SSAC distributed 2,400 meal swipes for 911�� on-campus dining halls and had 818 unique users of the Patriot Pantry. Starting in fall semester, a new partnership with Capital Area Food Bank offered students a digital purchasing card so they could buy perishable foods at their local grocery stores. The fund also contributes to helping students find temporary housing on campus in the event of a sudden loss of shelter or safe living situation.

Long and Daniels were determined to make a no-cost event so 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction could go to the fund. Hosted in the Center for the Arts, guests enjoy a soup meal and dessert, music by Green and Gold Soul, and a silent auction with items from local vendors. Everything is donated, so every cent can go directly to the fund.

"The Center for the Arts and Student Involvement are great partners throughout the year, and this is one of our favorite collaborations,” said Julie Thompson, executive director for the Center for the Arts.

Mason Dining contractor Sodexo, the caterer for the event, created a soup menu to reflect warmth, comfort, and inclusivity with locally sourced ingredients and a range of options for different dietary concerns. “Empty Bowls aligns perfectly with Sodexo’s mission to fight food insecurity and support sustainable food initiatives,” said Jenita Thurston, district manager for Sodexo.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the evening is the bowl selection. Each guest gets to take home a handmade ceramic bowl, crafted and donated by potters at Manassas Clay and other studios around Northern Virginia. From small teacups to large serving dishes in a rainbow of different glazes and finishes, there’s a bowl for everyone, and all of them are microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe.

“What’s really special about Empty Bowls is that this grassroots event was born out of the care and concern of our own 911�� community members,” said Olszewska. “It’s one of many examples of how our faculty and staff care about the students we serve beyond just our jobs.”

“For a CEHD faculty member and a University Life director to come together, to be innovative and creative in order to meet the needs of our students, is really at the core of what makes 911�� such an incredible place,” said Long.

Daniels agreed. “It showcases the best of who we are at 911��.”

Mason Empty Bowls 2025

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