Bear Bytes Initiative Supports Students’ Holistic Health

In higher education, student success is often measured in grades, retention, and graduation rates. But at New York Tech, leaders recognize that one of the most fundamental drivers of success is far more basic: access to healthy food.

Since its launch in 2020, New York Tech’s Bear Bytes initiative has evolved to not only address food insecurity, but also promote long-term health, wellness, and academic achievement for students across its New York campuses.

From Urgent Need to Institutional Action

The origins of Bear Bytes trace back to the months just before the COVID-19 pandemic, when university leaders began to better understand the scope of food insecurity among students.

A 2019 survey of more than 800 students across the New York City and Long Island campuses revealed a striking reality: 55 percent reported eating less in the previous month due to financial constraints, and one-third of those respondents said they had skipped meals regularly. Among Pell Grant recipients, the numbers were even higher.

For Tiffani Hinds, Ed.D., associate provost for student engagement and development, those findings, as well as personal encounters with students in distress, made it clear that action was needed.

“There were students who were feeling unwell, and when we looked more closely, it wasn’t illness. It was hunger,” says Hinds. “We knew we had to think bigger than isolated efforts from individual faculty and staff and build something that could support students at scale.”

With that, Bear Bytes was born—a collaborative initiative bringing together departments across campuses alongside community partners for students’ health and well-being.

Building a Network of Support

At the heart of Bear Bytes are the Grizzly Cupboard food pantries, which serve students through convenient on-campus locations in New York City and Long Island, distributing essential groceries, personal items, and household products. Students can visit a Grizzly Cupboard once per week; Bear Bytes’ aim is to provide nine meals per person in the home (three meals for three days) during each visit.

Donations from partners and food purchased with donor funds help supply fruits, vegetables, and healthy non-perishables to users. The recent addition of refrigerators to the Grizzly Cupboards has also made it possible to store and distribute more perishable items, such as high-quality protein. During the 2024–2025 academic year alone, the Grizzly Cupboard distributed more than 11 tons of food to students and their families.

The growth in Bear Bytes usage over the last six years has been supported by a parallel rise in funding. Annual fundraising has climbed 256.8 percent since the 2020–2021 academic year, with last year reaching more than $62,000.

A key contributor from the beginning is grocery chain Stop & Shop, which has committed a total of $60,000 to Bear Bytes through its wide-ranging and impactful School Food Pantry Program [see “A Partner from the Start: Stop & Shop” below for more information].

Multiple grants from New York State’s Community Food Connection totaling $50,534 fund Farmers Market days that distribute free fresh produce to New York City students, faculty, and staff; in 2024-2025, 12,000 pounds of corn, kale, apples, and more were issued throughout the year.

Additional collaborations with organizations like the Food Bank for New York City and Long Island Harvest have further strengthened the Bear Bytes initiative’s reach and reliability over the years.

The New York Tech campus garden, originally established in 2013, has also become an integral part of the Bear Bytes ecosystem. Managed with support from faculty, students, and facilities staff, the garden serves both as a source of fresh produce and a living classroom. James “Jimmy” O’Rourke (B.A. ’85), resident green thumb and former operations foreman in Capital Planning and Facilities, has been the campus garden manager since it broke ground. When he recently retired after 43 years of New York Tech service, Bear Bytes’ funding took over his compensation so he could still be paid for his time tending the garden’s plots and ensuring successful harvests for the community.

Beyond Food: Education and Empowerment

While providing food is central to Bear Bytes, the initiative has always aimed to go further, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed, healthy choices.

“Food insecurity isn’t just about quantity; it’s also about quality,” says Mindy Haar, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and chair of interdisciplinary health studies. “We want students to have access to nutritious foods and to understand how to use them in ways that support their health.”

Education is a cornerstone of Bear Bytes. Workshops, cooking demonstrations, and events—ranging from budget-friendly meal prep to how to grow fresh herbs on a windowsill—help students translate resources into real-life habits.

“We’ve done everything from virtual cooking classes during the pandemic to hands-on events in the garden,” says Haar. “The goal is to make healthy eating accessible, practical, and sustainable.”

Reducing Stigma, Expanding Access

A key priority for Bear Bytes has been reducing the stigma often associated with food insecurity. By framing its services as open and accessible to all students, the initiative encourages broader participation and normalizes the use of support resources.

“We’re always cognizant of making what we’re offering open to all and easy to access, as well as confidential,” says Hinds. “Even students who aren’t food insecure can benefit from our resources. It’s about supporting the whole student and the families they are a part of.”

This mentality has also allowed the university to expand to resources beyond food. Programs like Tech Threads, which provides New York Tech students with free access to new and gently used professional clothing and accessories for interviews and career events, address additional barriers students may face.

Measurable Impact—and Room to Grow

Internal data collection and ongoing student surveys continue to inform Bear Bytes’ evolution. The introduction of new tools, such as PantrySoft management software, is helping streamline operations and better track usage and needs.

As Bear Bytes enters its next phase, the focus is on sustainability, innovation, and expanded reach. Plans include increasing fundraising efforts, strengthening partnerships, and potentially hosting larger-scale events—such as regional or national conferences on food insecurity—to bring broader awareness to this far-reaching issue.

Bear Bytes also continues its emphasis on education, with new programming designed to help students integrate nutrition and wellness into their daily lives.

For Hinds and her colleagues, the mission remains clear: ensure that no student’s academic journey is derailed by a lack of basic resources. “At the end of the day, students can’t succeed if their basic needs aren’t met,” says Hinds. “Bear Bytes is about making sure they have what they need—not just to get by, but to thrive.”

By Kathrin Havrilla-Sanchez