1 in 10 College Students in Massachusetts are Homeless. More are Hungry. It’s Past Time We Recognize Their Reality

College Students and SNAP: The New Face of Food Insecurity in the United States

American Journal of Public Health, 2019
Nicholas Freudenberg, Sara Goldrick-Rab, and Janet Poppendieck

This essay reviews the causes and consequences of food insecurity on campus, explores reasons for the low SNAP participation rate, and describes how campuses have responded to food insecurity. It summarizes federal, state, and local changes in SNAP policies that can facilitate college student participation and retention and suggests strategies for more robust and effective university responses to food insecurity, including SNAP enrollment campaigns, a stronger role for campus food services, and a redefinition of the goals and purposes of campus food pantries.

Read the article.