When organizations come together around a shared commitment to improving lives, extraordinary things can happen. This spring, Durham-based BioCryst Pharmaceuticals partnered with Snacks for Kids to help address a need that often goes unseen in Wake County classrooms: ensuring students have access to nutritious snacks during the school day.

BioCryst is a global biotechnology company dedicated to improving the lives of people living with rare diseases. Guided by a passion for making a meaningful difference in the lives of others, the company works every day to develop innovative therapies for patients and families facing significant health challenges. That same spirit of compassion and service was on full display when BioCryst employees rallied together to support local students through a company-wide snack drive.

From April 13 through May 1, BioCryst employees demonstrated what community impact looks like in action. Colleagues from across the organization donated an incredible 92 boxes of snacks—more than 2,000 individual snack items—to support elementary school students in Wake County. The drive ultimately collected 2,033 individual snacks that would soon make their way into local classrooms, helping students stay focused, energized, and ready to learn.

The need is real. In Wake County public elementary schools, families are asked to provide a daily snack for their child. While many families are able to do so, others face financial challenges that make providing a snack every day difficult. Teachers often step in quietly, using their own funds, sharing food from their classrooms, or seeking donations to ensure no child goes without. Snacks for Kids was created to help bridge that gap by partnering with businesses, community organizations, and individual donors to provide school-approved snacks directly to schools and classrooms.

Thanks to the generosity of BioCryst employees, Snacks for Kids delivered these donations to two Wake County elementary schools: Forestville Road Elementary School on May 11 and Lockhart Elementary School on May 13. These schools serve communities where many families face economic challenges, and the donated snacks will help ensure students have access to the nourishment they need throughout the school day.

What made this effort especially meaningful was the enthusiasm and engagement of BioCryst employees. Throughout the drive, employees shared words of encouragement and support, including:

“Procurement Supports Snacks!” — Becky Wiinikainen

“Thank you so much for organizing this!!” — Laura DiMichele

“Great idea and thanks for making it easy.” — B.J. Witkin

Their comments reflect a workplace culture that values community involvement and recognizes that even small acts of generosity can have a lasting impact.

This successful partnership was made possible through the leadership and dedication of several BioCryst employees who worked behind the scenes to organize and promote the drive. Special thanks go to Lindsay Frantz, Dana Noel, Michaela Lankas, and Kelly Wackerhagen for championing the effort and inspiring colleagues across the company to participate. Their leadership transformed a simple idea into thousands of snacks for local students.

At Snacks for Kids, partnerships like this remind us of what is possible when businesses invest in the communities where they live and work. Every granola bar, cracker pack, and fruit snack donated represents more than food—it represents a child who can concentrate on a lesson instead of a hungry stomach, a teacher who doesn’t have to purchase snacks with personal funds, and a classroom where every student has the opportunity to fully participate in learning.

The BioCryst snack drive demonstrates that addressing classroom hunger doesn’t require a massive initiative—it starts with people who care. Together, BioCryst employees showed how a community can come together to create meaningful change for local children.

On behalf of the students, teachers, and schools served through this effort, Snacks for Kids extends its deepest gratitude to everyone at BioCryst for helping ensure that more students have the fuel they need to learn, grow, and succeed.