Campus Kitchen received a $7,622 donation from Rocco’s Pizzeria and Cantina thanks to Wake Forest fans participating in a Jell-O shot competition at the bar during the Omaha College Baseball World Series in June. 

Demon Deacon fans made their return to the stands of Charles Schwab Stadium in Omaha, Neb. in support of the Wake Forest baseball team in the College World Series in June for the first time since 1955. Peanuts and CrackerJacks were not the only concessions purchased, though. Just a few blocks over, Rocco’s hosted its annual College World Series Jell-O Shot Competition. 

The competition, which has become a storied College World Series tradition, challenges fans to purchase Jell-O shots on behalf of their fanbase. The game is simple — the fanbase with the most shots purchased wins. 

The competition also has a philanthropic spin. For each Jell-O shot purchased on behalf of a fanbase, Rocco’s donated one dollar to that campus’s food bank. This year, Rocco’s raised $142,464 total. Wake Forest took third, with 7,622 Jell-O shots sold.

Back in Winston-Salem, Campus Kitchen was “pleasantly surprised” this summer when a check for $7,622 appeared in their mailbox, says Brad Shugoll, director of service and leadership in the Office of Civic and Community Engagement. This student-run initiative located in Kitchin Residence Hall targets food insecurity by receiving food donations both on and off campus and distributing them to those in Winston-Salem experiencing food insecurity.

Shugoll explained that the donation from Rocco’s will help Campus Kitchen allocate more resources toward the partnerships they have already built.

“Right now, we have a network of more than 10 nonprofits that we work with,” Shugoll said. “The funds will help support and bolster our existing programming.”

Campus Kitchen currently works with community partners and aid nonprofits such as Anthony’s Plot, Azalea Terrace, City with Dwellings, Faith Health NC, Hope 2 Thrive, The Parenting Path, Samaritan Ministries, The Shalom Project and Latino Community Services. Each of these community partners has a unique mission targeting a specific community in Winston-Salem. 

Shugoll also said that student leadership will work to determine how the funds can help Campus Kitchin cast a wider net. 

Seniors Samantha Martin and Raahim Khan, who direct Campus Kitchen with the support of a 40-person student leadership team, will play a large part in making those decisions about where the funds will go and deciding where the funds will make the most impact in the local fight against food insecurity. 

“There is no set formula for a specific day in Campus Kitchen,” Martin said. “Each day has a lot of movement.” 

Shugoll emphasized that the funds will impact Campus Kitchen’s mission for semesters to come.

“The donation from Rocco’s really will help us elevate the work we already do and gives us an opportunity to enhance our outreach work, but we really rely on the time and energy that college students bring,” Shugoll said.  

More information about Campus Kitchen can be found on their Instagram @campuskitchen_wfu or at communityengagement.wfu.edu/students/campuskitchen/.