KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 13, 2026

Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services, a department housed within Wellbeing@KSU, recently received a significant gift from Guanacaste Ventures, the philanthropic foundation led by KSU alumna Bree Pattillo, to support students facing food insecurity, housing instability, and other basic needs challenges.  

The $145,598 contribution will expand CARE Services’ ability to provide essential resources to students experiencing homelessness, financial instability, food insecurities, or foster care transitions. The donation supports technology access and transportation, including rideshare to internships, student teaching, and practicums.  The funding also supports initiatives such as Nourish the Nest and the CARE Pantry, which provide free groceries to students on both campuses.

CARE Services immediately put the donation to use by purchasing high-demand pantry staples such as milk, eggs, and meat. These are items that are not as highly donated and are often difficult to keep in stock. All the items were quickly distributed to students in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, highlighting the ongoing need for reliable food access on campus.

Motivated by CARE Services’ mission and its impact on students’ well-being, Pattillo elected to make a generous donation.

Beyond the financial contribution, Pattillo has taken a hands-on role in supporting CARE Services. She visited the Kennesaw Campus in November to volunteer during a CARE Pantry restock day, emphasizing her commitment to directly supporting students.

In November, additional support for the CARE Pantry came through the Nourish the Nest Challenge, hosted by the Vice President of Student Affairs’ Kennesaw Excellence Society. The challenge encouraged five Kennesaw Excellence Society teams to collect food donations to support students in need. The winning teams, Full Nesters and Can Crushers, contributed greatly to pantry supplies during the month of November.

CARE Services continues to play a critical role in supporting student success by addressing basic needs that can otherwise create barriers to academic achievement. For more information, check out the CARE website. The CARE Pantry is located on the Kennesaw Campus in room 172 of the Carmichael Student Center and on the Marietta Campus in room 184 of the Wilson Student Center.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.