(Enola, PA) November 3, 2025 – At a time when food insecurity is on the rise nationwide, the Pennsylvania Department of Education has officially recognized Central Penn College’s efforts to combat hunger by re-designating the 144-year-old college as a “Hunger-Free Campus.” The college also received a $3,000 “Swipe out Hunger” grant from a national nonprofit devoted to eradicating student hunger, and a grant from M & T Bank to bolster its food pantry and anti-hunger initiative.

With this designation and these grants, the college aims to help feed more students in need, expand its on-campus food pantry, and continue to build partnerships with surrounding community food pantries.

“Central Penn College has always been devoted to caring for our students in need in a holistic way, offering scholarships, a free food pantry, free professional clothing, significantly reduced housing costs, and other discreet, compassionate assistance.  For years, our student food pantry has helped our students, stocked by generous faculty, staff and the community,” said College President Dr. Linda Fedrizzi-Williams. “We are grateful for these grants and the recognition of Central Penn College’s unrelenting focus on the health and well-being of our students, so they can thrive here and beyond, without worrying about where their next meal is coming from.”

The college hopes its re-designation will help to boost awareness of the food pantry and local food banks to increase usage, and plans to expand the quantity and kinds of food available in its food pantry, to include more microwave-ready foods, fresh produce, and other dietary requests.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, please visit https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/resources/student/empoweru/resources-for-institutions/grants/pennsylvania-hunger-free-campus-initiative.

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