California colleges and universities take food pantries to the next level
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Hunger among college students in California has jumped dramatically since the pandemic, yet Cal-Fresh -- a statewide low-income food assistance program -- fails to reach more than 70 percent of eligible students.
So, food pantries at colleges and universities are finding creative ways to meet student needs.
In the 2023-24 school year, 46 percent of students at Cal Poly Humboldt used the school's Oh-SNAP! food pantry, 4 percent more than the year before.
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Mira Friedman - lead for health education and clinic support services there, who coordinates the program - said people may think that if students can afford tuition, they can afford food.
But that's often untrue.
"It's a misconception, because oftentimes financial aid is not significant enough to pay for all the expenses," said Friedman. "Food is very expensive, housing insecurity is very real, and food insecurity is very real for our students."
Data from the California Student Aid Commission found that more than two-thirds of college students surveyed were food insecure in 2023.
Humboldt's Oh-SNAP! program offers cooking and gardening classes, sponsors a weekly farm stand with organic fruits and vegetables, and even has a pop-up thrift store with furniture and kitchen items.
Students are also notified to pick up extra food from dining halls.
Contra Costa College, a 2-year school in San Pablo, recently launched a pilot program with 20 refrigerated lockers where students can pick up groceries they order online.
Basic needs coordinator Hope Dixon said the program also helps students with Cal-Fresh applications.
"The eligibility requirements around CalFresh are incredibly challenging," said Dixon. "I have a flow chart that helps students pre-review if they have some eligibility. In order to apply, there's an interview, and students are often in classes. If they miss the call, it's very, very hard."
Students who are on a school food plan only qualify for Cal Fresh if it is the most minimal plan.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
