As living expenses and tuition costs continue to rise, a large number of college students are now facing a “new” challenge: food insecurity. This issue was once primarily associated with low-income families, but now, hunger on college campuses is a growing problem, affecting students across the country.

Food insecurity is defined as not having consistent access to sufficient food, or food of adequate quality, to meet someone’s needs. According to Feeding America, 47 million people in the United States face food insecurity, and over 50 million people turned to food programs in 2023. 

Some communities are more likely to experience this issue than others, such as people in rural communities and the South. This is due to factors like unemployment, poverty, and the high cost of living which can impact the ability to access food.

While this national crisis impacts many types of Americans, it is a growing problem on college campuses. Sometimes it isn’t about the amount of food, it’s more importantly the quality of food students are eating. “Especially in working with college students, there’s kind of a narrative sometimes of college students can live on ramen,” said Sydney Jordan. “This is true, but when we think about what your body needs to perform academically, having some fruits and vegetables is good.”

A recent study conducted by the Government Accountability Office found that in 2020, an estimated 23% of college students experienced food insecurity – almost 1 in 4. Of these students, 59 percent said they did not receive SNAP benefits, which would’ve allowed them easier access to food during this time.

Many people don’t realize how many college students may be experiencing food insecurity, but both the cost of living and general college expenses take a toll on how much students can spend on food. “My biggest thing right now is how much I’m paying for rent and bills and other things in my life,” said Lauren Munko, a junior integrated mathematics major at Kent State. “Trying to spend $50 or more on groceries each week is not doable right now.”

At Kent State, there are two main resources students can turn to. One is the CARES Center, which stands for “Crisis, Advocacy, Resources, Education, and Support.” Located on the first floor of the student center, CARES offers a food pantry that students can access by completing a pantry request form on their website.

CARES also offers the “Swipe Out Hunger” program, where students with meal plans can donate two meal swipes per semester to the virtual meal swipe bank. This is used as more of an emergency option, and students in need can request up to two swipes to use at either the Eastway Center or the Design Innovation Hub.

Another option is Flashes Fighting Hunger, a student-run organization on campus that works to reduce food waste and lessen food insecurity in the community. Those who need assistance with food security can schedule an appointment for food distribution through the Flashes Fighting Hunger website.

“Flashes Fighting Hunger is really unique in the fact that it is run by students,” said Kalena Speicher, supervisor of the Flashes Fighting Hunger food pantry. “Point blank, we know what it’s like to be a broke college student.”

Between these two resources, which operate their food pantries on different days of the week, there is an opportunity for food-insecure students to find access to food every single weekday. There are also food pantries located in the communities off-campus that students can utilize.

For those students who may not be experiencing food insecurity, there are initiatives that they can join to help those in the community who are struggling. For example, Flashes Fighting Hunger as mentioned before, since it is almost fully student-run. There are many volunteer opportunities available on their website for those who want to help.

“I volunteer when I can,” said Colin Ziak, a junior business management major at Kent State. “I think it’s a very important issue to tackle on campus and just in general.”

There are also campus-wide initiatives that may pop up in different locations, such as food drives that benefit both the CARES Center and the Flashes Fighting Hunger food pantries. These are available for a few weeks at a time, and anyone in the community can participate by donating whatever they may have available into the food drive bins.

Students experiencing food insecurity may feel awkward asking for help, especially with the stigma that surrounds this issue, but having a variety of options available to them reduces that stress, and ensures that they have access to enough resources to get them, if needed in difficult times.

The issue of food insecurity highlights how different the college experience can be from person to person. For some students, their biggest stressors are studying for exams and making time to socialize with friends, while for others, it may be more basic, finding sources for the food necessary to ensure their well-being.

All Kent State students should be aware and realize they have many options and organizations that can help in times of need. These resources are readily available and should be utilized without stigma or remorse.

“Kent State has a lot of resources to prevent food insecurity among students,” said Ziak. “There are multiple food pantries a week and they’re very accessible.”

The CARES Center and Flashes Fighting Hunger are just some of the ways that Kent State University recognizes the value and integrity of all of its students and strives to make sure each person has the resources they need to succeed.