Combatting Food Insecurity on Campus
Food insecurity — the lack of resources to get nutritious food — affects many college students and is driven by rising college costs, an increase in first-generation students with lower incomes, and students juggling responsibilities of work and school. Feeding America, a national nonprofit network of food banks, says nearly half its college clients (approximately two million full-time students) must choose between educational expenses and food.
Fortunately, many higher ed institutions help provide security to students who otherwise would go without certain meals. Consider taking these actions as you help students.
Assess Campus Food Insecurity
While K-12 schools track how many students qualify for food assistance, colleges and universities typically don’t maintain this data. Instead, they rely on financial aid records to evaluate populations most at risk for food insecurity. Consider a student survey to gauge campus need.
Establish Programs Promoting Food Security
Explore alternatives and determine which will work best for your culture. Consult legal counsel to consider risks associated with establishing a program.
Once you launch programs at your institution, distribute information about them to various campus populations. That way you will reach as many students in need as possible.
Possible programs include:
- A food pantry or food bank. This is the most common response to food insecurity on campus. The number of college food banks continues to increase reaching at least 355 in 2023. The Michigan State University Food Bank, a model for many colleges, emphasizes operating with discretion and sensitivity.
If you’re offering a pantry or bank, store food available to students in accordance with certain guidelines. Ensure the food contains appropriate labels, especially labels involving allergens.
If you solicit donations from the community, create additional guidelines for accepting these donations. Finally, set a schedule for periodic food shelf-life review to ensure nothing is out of date. - Meal donations. Some institutions let students donate meals from their meal plans to students in need. Swipe Out Hunger turned into a national movement allowing students to donate unused meal swipes and help hungry classmates eat.
When instituting a meal swipe donation system at your institution, avoid singling out students receiving this aid. Ensure there is a way for students to access the program without calling attention to them at your dining facility. - Grocery store gift cards. For students without a meal plan, consider seeking gift card donations from local grocery store chains.
- Food and financial literacy programs. Many students enter college with little financial literacy, having never lived on their own. Food-insecure students may have even less literacy about budgeting, healthy meal planning, and food sourcing. Consider including these topics in student orientation or as standalone seminars throughout the semester for all students.
Take a Systemic, Long-Term Approach
Examine college affordability and consider ways to provide greater access to programs for at-risk students. For example, explore expanding aid, including emergency grants, book grants, or loaner laptop programs, to help provide financial relief to students in need. Because housing concerns may accompany food insecurity, consider establishing emergency housing assistance.
Additional Resources
About the Author
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Heather Salko, Esq.
Manager of Risk Research
Heather oversees the development of risk research publications. Her areas of expertise include employment law, Title IX, and student mental health. Before joining the Risk Research team, she practiced employment and insurance coverage law and handled UE liability claims for more than a decade.