MarketBoxx

As a nonprofit, we have experienced the effect of COVID-19 but we have also overcome the barriers that this pandemic has set before many nonprofits like ours. Despite these hurdles we continue to revel in the importance of our work: combating food insecurity in college communities. Throughout this past year we have fed more than 250 students and families within the state of North Carolina, and plan to feed more. 

Our success throughout the pandemic has inspired us to branch out and support even more campuses across the country — that is why MarketBoxx is actively seeking partnerships who believe in the work we do and wish to champion our cause by bringing a MarketBoxx to every food insecure college student. If selected to be winners of The Elevate Prize, we hope to impact college students nationwide and possibly globally. The prize money will help fuel our mission and give us the chance to access students who need our resources and the development program will provide us with the tools to sustain our goals.

MarketBoxx works as a one-stop-shop for college students struggling with food insecurity by providing them with everything they need in one box. This organization was founded by two African-American women who center their life around impacting others. We strive to support economically disadvantaged college students who experience food insecurity, poverty, and adversity by providing essential needs through our work. MarketBoxx began its journey by first donating to a Historically Black University because we recognize that most are located in food deserts. Throughout our process we continue to target communities that are deeply affected by a lack of food options. We shop with intention and passion because we know first hand the struggles that come with being in college, and we believe that no person should have to choose between their education and necessities to survive. MarketBoxx envisions college communities with students who have basic and essential resources to help them thrive through their college journey.

MarketBoxx is combating food insecurity by targeting campuses in food desserts. Most historically Black colleges are at least four miles from grocery stores creating even more barriers when it comes to students of color accessing necessities. Food insecurity affects 30% of college students in the U.S. This often means students are having to decide whether they can afford to eat or buy books and supplies. We have identified four peak seasons within a year where food insecurity spikes on college campuses: before/after spring break, summer break, before/after fall break, and winter break. With this, MarketBoxx organizes four large drives a year — each drive we select a different campus to support. Leading up to a drive we reach out to community partners and donors to raise funds, so we can buy bulk items from warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club. Once we have an idea of the number of students needing food we gather recyclable materials like brown paper bags and boxes to package the resources. Our work wouldn't be possible if we didn’t collaborate with volunteers to help MarketBoxx pack everything in one box — then we move to delivery and meet college students where they are, on-campus.

We are both alumni of North Carolina A&T State University, the largest public historically Black university in the country. This makes our approach personal because we have seen first hand how a lack of food resources can affect college students, for the reason that N.C. A&T sits in a food desert. Our work is unique because we reach out and seek support from former college students who have experienced a similar plight in their journey and want to aid in our mission. In addition to former college students, we work extensively with pantries to fully understand their needs, popular food items for their pantries specifically and how we can spread information about their resources they provide to students. Effectiveness and efficiency has led us in an innovative direction to shop with intention and budget in mind when we prepare boxes of food. We purchase food items in bulk from warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club to help us buy foods that the average college student will enjoy.

MarketBoxx impacts humanity with the care that goes into making each box tailored toward a college campus and pantry. Multiple times a year, MarketBoxx searches for college pantries located in food deserts that might be in need of a large donation to help their students through their college journey. By focusing on food disparities on college campuses, we give students the ease of not worrying about where their next meal is coming from. We work together with college pantries to fully understand their students' needs and use our platform to spread more knowledge to students that may not know of the free options available to them. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, MarketBoxx has managed to feed more than 250 students and families within the state of North Carolina and we aspire to take our mission even further. When students don't have to worry about necessities they have the opportunity to focus on what's important, their education; by us focusing on the things they shouldn't have to worry about, students can grow into compassionate citizens in society and impact humanity themselves, creating a full-circle moment.