Hawks’ Nest holds Faculty / Staff Food Drive Competition
The need for food is especially high this fall among many of our students. To help stock the Hawks’ Nest and meet the increased demand, the Student Success Committee has created the November 2025 Food Drive Faculty/Staff Competition.
This team competition, which will run from Nov. 4-18, can include anyone you wish from your division or department.
The competition will be judged using a point-based system based on our most needed items.
Donated items will be assigned a certain number of points based on their designation. Items can be worth anywhere from 1 – 4 points. Expired items will not count for any points.
Please check the list below for items and point totals.
Questions can be directed to Kayla Collins, Student Activities Associate (Hawks’ Nest Manager)
krcollins3@hfcc.edu | 313-317-1756
The winning team will receive a catered luncheon for the entire team.
Scoring System
Earn as many points as possible while meeting students' needs across multiple categories.
The Hawks’ Nest accepts non-perishable food items only. All items must be new, unexpired, and unopened. Food items should be at least two months prior to their published expiration date. Please do not donate expired food items, as they have to be discarded, and this requires extra work by our volunteers. Please check the expiration dates carefully. NO points will be awarded for items that are expired or close to their expiration date.
4-point items - Complete ready-made meals, personal care items, and high-demand items
Ready-made and microwaveable meals with protein and carbs
- “Compleats,” similar microwave meals
- Shelf-stable protein and rice bowls, “Protein Bowls” (i.e. Tasty Bite, Simple Truth, Seeds of Change)
- Grab-N-Go Lunch Kits (i.e. Chicken/Tuna Salad with Crackers and Fruit)
- Pasta and meat microwave meal cups
Regular-size toiletries and personal care items
- Pads and tampons
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Laundry detergent
- School supplies
- Baby wipes and diapers
High-demand food items
- Ful Medames (canned cooked fava beans)
- Canned hummus
- Canned grape leaves
- Dates (sealed, in bag)
- Canned baba ghanoush
- Halal certified corned beef or luncheon loaf (With a halal certification logo on the packaging, such as those from IFANCA)
3-point items - Meal component kits, family-size/multiple meal items, starchy side dishes
Meal kits and starchy side dishes
- Vermicelli and Rice Mixes
- Hamburger Helper
- Pasta mixes (“Knorr,” “Rice-a-Roni,” etc.)
- Pasta Sauce
- Regular-size boxes of pasta (spaghetti, cavatappi, etc.)
- Meats (tuna pouches, cans of chicken, “SPAM,” etc.)
- Boxed stuffing, corn muffin mix, etc.
Soups and meal components
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Bags of dried beans
- Bags of rice
- Ready-to-eat soups (not condensed)
- Spaghetti with sauce, microwaveable
- Meal cups
- Regular-size cereal boxes
- Boxed stuffing
- Canned cranberry sauce
- Canned pumpkin
- Pie mixes
- Canned yams/sweet potatoes
- Gravy mixes
2-point items - pantry staples and snacks
Pantry staples
- Canned beans (black beans, pinto, kidney, great northern/cannellini, chickpeas, baked beans, etc.)
- Fruit cups
- Nuts and dried fruit (regular size or multi-packs)
- Granola bars (in box)
Snack items (we encourage healthier items)
- Raisins
- Goldfish crackers (regular-size bag or minis in a multi pack)
- PB cracker sandwiches (sold as packs)
- Cheese cracker sandwiches (sold as packs)
1-point items - ingredients
Canned food items
- Canned vegetables (recommended: mixed vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, green chiles, spinach, etc.) Please do not donate canned green beans or corn at this time.
- Canned fruits (pears, pineapple, peaches, etc.)
- Condensed soups (cream of chicken, tomato, etc.)
Lower-demand items
- Oatmeal packs
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Spices and condiments
- Canned food items (i.e. condensed milk, applesauce, pork and beans, etc.)
Mini or bite-size items
Mini/bite-size items or single-serving individually wrapped items, outside of a pack (i.e., single-serve packet of trail mix, individual cheez-it snack pack, 1 granola bar, etc., will be counted as: 4 small items = 1 point
You may download a PDF of the items and scoring for your convenience.
How to deliver your donations and win the contest
Teams can drop off their donations at the Student Activities Office in Room M-105 (M-F, 8:30 am – 5 pm) or the Hawks’ Nest (M-Th, 10 am – 4 pm). The grocery bags/boxes must be clearly labeled with your team name. If you are unable to drop off items and need to schedule a pickup, please email both hawksnest@hawkmail.hfcc.edu and krcollins3@hfcc.edu. Donations must be received by November 18 to count toward the competition.
Other ways to donate to the Hawks’ Nest
Monetary donations are always accepted. You have the option to donate online through the HFC Foundation. Be sure to select the Hawks’ Nest when donating.