Do you worry whether your food will run out before you have money to get more?
Do you feel like you are not able to afford to eat balanced meals?
Do you find yourself skipping meals because you can't afford them?
You may feel like you're the only one, but there are many other college students who report feeling the exact same way.
You are not alone.
Knowledge is power
College should be a place where students go to succeed, not to starve. For years, we have had little info about the needs of college students. Now more and more studies have brought light to this issue and people are taking notice.
percent of students cut the size of their meals or skipped meals because there wasn't enough money for food
percent of students lost weight because there wasn't enough money for food
percent of students did not eat for a whole day because there wasn't enough money for food
Source: National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness
The College and University Food Bank Alliance started in 2012 to help college campus food pantries. They began with 15 schools and by 2018 the number grew to more than 650.
While food pantries can help alleviate some of the issues, there are many other initiatives that are helping students overcome hunger.
In response to many college students not knowing they are eleigible for SNAP and/or not understanding the forms, some colleges have created a centralized office to help with this process.
Programs have been created for sharing unused meal swipes and for broadcasting events with free food on campus.
“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
– Dale Carnegie