Student Services Spotlight: The Hawks’ Nest
NOTE: This article is one in a series spotlighting student-focused services at Henry Ford College. View the entire series here.
The Hawks’ Nest – HFC’s student food pantry, which serves students who need food assistance – is available on our main campus for every registered student at HFC.
The Hawks’ Nest is in Room L-138 on the first floor of the Andrew A. Mazzara Administrative Services & Conference Center (ASCC) (Building L) on the main campus. It is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. throughout the Fall and Winter semester. Summer hours are by appointment.
How to get started: register online (recommended, not required)
The Hawks’ Nest staff will send you an online registration form to complete prior to your first visit of every academic year. You will need to present a copy of your class schedule for the current semester either through email or in-person during your first visit, along with your HFC student ID card. If you are registered for at least 1 credit hour at HFC in the current semester, you are eligible to receive food from the pantry twice per month.
Each time you make an appointment, you will receive an online food order form to select which food and personal care items you would like. The Hawks Nest provides a variety of non-perishable food and personal hygiene items.
How to receive food and personal items from the Hawks’ Nest
1. Make an appointment
Please make an appointment by emailing hawksnest@hawkmail.hfcc.edu. You will need to complete an order form at least an hour before the time of your appointment.
2. Walk-ins are welcome
Although we recommend that you make an appointment, walk-ins are also welcome during regular business hours.
Donors: here are items we need in order to serve students
The Hawks’ Nest needs the following food and personal items:
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
- Breakfast Bars
- Muffin/Pancake Mix
- Peanut Butter
- Jelly
- Canned Fruit (no applesauce)
- Canned Vegetables (no corn or green beans)
- Soup
- Chili
- Canned Beans (pinto, kidney, garbanzo, etc.)
- Pasta
- Pasta Sauce
- Chef Boyardee (beefaroni, ravioli, lasagna, etc.)
- Canned Beef
- Canned Chicken
- Canned Tuna
- Mac-n-Cheese
- Ramen Noodles
- Rice
- Snack items (granola bars, nuts, cheese and crackers, etc.)
- Shampoo and Conditioner
- Soap and Body Wash
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
The Hawks’ Nest can accept non-perishable food items only. All items must be new, unexpired, and unopened. All 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, which requires extra work by our volunteers. Be sure to check the expiration dates carefully.
Just outside the Hawks’ Nest, you can find a table with a blue Hawks’ Nest tablecloth set up in the lobby. On the table, there may be expired and miscellaneous items. Please feel free to help yourself to anything on the table.
Recent successes
Thanks to our generous donors, since the Hawks’ Nest opened, we’ve been an active presence on the HFC campus:
- 700+ students helped
- 20,000 pounds of food donated
- 3.700 personal care items donated
- 400 reusable bags donated
Other ways to donate
Monetary donations are also accepted. You have the option to make a monetary donation online through the HFC Foundation. Be sure to select the Hawks’ Nest when donating.
For questions or more information, contact Kayla Collins at 313-845-9865 or krcollins3@hfcc.edu.