From the Nominator

The Huddle Against Hunger challenge turned a spirited interstate rivalry into a powerful force for good, raising over $85,000 to combat food insecurity at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and Texas State University. Timed around the schools’ annual football matchup, this innovative campaign engaged alumni, students, and supporters in a friendly competition to fund vital campus food pantries. From August 30 to September 7, 2024, UTSA and Texas State leveraged multi-channel outreach—email, social media, texting, and peer-to-peer advocacy—to mobilize 2,057 donors. We built a central website at HuddleAgainstHunger.com that pointed visitors to each school’s crowdfunding platforms. Gift totals were updated on the site each day by 3 p.m. Texas State raised $33,467 from 1,115 donors, while UTSA secured $22,798 from 942 supporters. Thanks to a $30,000 prize pool provided by Randolph Brooks Federal Credit Union and Alterman, Texas State claimed the top prize of $18,000, and UTSA received $12,000, bringing the total funds raised to $86,267. Beyond fundraising, Huddle Against Hunger raised awareness of student food insecurity—an issue affecting nearly half of college students. The campaign’s success and early commitment of a key prize-pool donor have inspired both universities to continue the challenge next year. This initiative exemplified the power of mission-driven fundraising—blending competition, community engagement, and philanthropy to create lasting impact. By working together, two rival schools ensured students were the winners that week by addressing food insecurity on campus.

From the Judges

Creative way to utilize a rivalry--great impact overall. Program brought awareness to student needs beyond scholarships; it was well executed and has the ability to continue.