Hunger and food insecurity are growing problems on college campuses. The rising cost of a college education and the increasing number of nontraditional students mean that more students are living on a shoestring budget.
Contrary to the stereotype, today’s typical student is not a recent high school graduate who lives in a dormitory and is supported by his or her parents. Instead, many of today’s students must support themselves, which means finding a way to provide for their own living expenses while also paying for their education.
In response to this problem, student governments at many campuses have stepped up to meet the immediate needs of their peers. Students have set up on-campus food pantries, food rescue programs, campus gardens, farmers markets, and other programs to provide food and support to students in need.
We support and advise student governments that are running campus food pantries or seeking other solutions to campus hunger.
Campus Food Pantry Toolkit
The Running a Campus Food Pantry toolkit explains how to create and manage a campus food pantry. As food insecurity becomes more common among college students, starting a food pantry is a powerful way to support students in need.