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Student Hunger Prevention Program

Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry’s Student Hunger Prevention Program is an additional program for families with K-12 students in any of the school systems in Catawba County.  The program is designed to help students and their families fight hunger so that they can be focused in the classroom on learning, not lunch.  The program also aims to provide healthier snacks to these children to help fight childhood obesity. 

This program offers a bag of daily nutritious snacks to each student in the household in addition to all the other food a family receives through the initial program in which they are enrolled.  So not only does the family receive food like: 

  • Fresh bread, pasta, and other assorted dry goods

  • Fresh fruits, veggies, and other produce when in season

  • Meats: frozen meats

  • Dairy: cheese, eggs, yogurt, milk, etc.

  • Canned: vegetables, soup, meats, and fruit

Each student also receives a monthly snack bag with items such as snack crackers, chips, candy, granola bars and other nutritious snacks as available.  

This food program has the opportunity for four pickups a month including:

  • 1 Primary pickup which includes canned goods, frozen meats, and student snack bags

  • 3 Supplemental pickups 

Applications are open to all students in Catawba County including: Catawba County Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, Hickory Public Schools, Parents As Teachers program, the Early Headstart Program, Catawba Valley Community College, and will be approved by Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Inc. (ECCCM).

Parents, or college-age students, simply fill out the application for a telephone interview. Parents, college-age students, or their representative, will be able to pick up their household foods directly from ECCCM at the parent’s, college-age student’s (or designated person’s) convenience. ECCCM Food Pantry pickup hours are Monday – Thursday, 8:00 am through 4:30 pm 245 East N Street Newton, NC 28658 (Behind the County Agricultural Center)

If you and your family need additional foods through the week, and are not currently receiving assistance through ECCCM’s hunger programs, you are encouraged to request further assistance. Simply call ECCCM for more information at 465-1702, or easier yet, complete this online application.