1 in 4 college students face hunger

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 5, 2024

Contact: Jacki Ward Kehrwald; [email protected]; (971) 222-4662

New data shows striking levels of food insecurity on college campuses
Nationwide, 1 in 4 students in higher education don’t have enough food 

New evidence reveals that food insecurity rates are strikingly high on college campuses, underscoring the urgent need to invest in student basic needs. The report, published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that 1 in 4 college students don’t have enough food to eat, and that number is even higher among marginalized populations and students attending underserved and underfunded institutions. 

“There’s an impression that once kids are in college, they have somehow ‘made it,’ but in fact those students face a hunger cliff. The support systems they had as kids are no longer available to them, but hunger doesn’t just end after high school graduation,” shares Chris Baker, legislative strategist at Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon. 

The GAO report also demonstrates troubling barriers to accessing benefits. 59% of food insecure students who were potentially eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) didn’t report receiving benefits, which illustrates the effects of overcomplicated and inequitable SNAP rules. 

These startling statistics are reflected by the on-the-ground experience in Oregon, which ranks far below the national average in funding its colleges, universities, and student financial aid. When these institutions are underfunded, the cost of running Oregon’s colleges and universities shifts to the student population.

“We see students all the time that want to commit to their education, but don’t have enough food to eat, a steady place to sleep or a place to take a shower before class,” says Nick Keough, Legislative Director at Oregon Student Association. “It’s immensely hard to focus on your studies when you are hungry or don’t have a roof over your head.”

To address this issue, Oregon has spearheaded the innovative benefits navigators model, but the program needs additional support. Oregon passed HB 2835 in 2021, which established a benefits navigator position on all 24 public university and community colleges in the state. This gives students one central hub on campus for accessing resources and benefits, including support finding food, housing, childcare, and more.

The uptake in this program illustrates the need; in its first year, the benefits navigator program met with over 11,000 students. Now, more than three years later, benefits navigators are consistently seeing a 30-40% increase in students accessing these support systems. With such incredible demand, navigators are struggling to meet student needs.

Baker urges state legislators to prioritize supporting students as they pursue higher education.

“We are losing college students at a growing rate because they can’t make ends meet. If we continue underfunding student basic needs, we will lose future mechanics, nurses, EMTs and so many other important roles in Oregon’s workforce.”

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ABOUT PARTNERS FOR A HUNGER-FREE OREGON

At Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, we work alongside those most impacted by hunger and poverty to advocate for systemic changes and better access to food. We believe everyone has the right to be free from hunger.  To bring that vision into reality, we raise awareness about hunger, connect people to nutrition programs, and advocate for systemic changes.

www.oregonhunger.org 

ABOUT THE OREGON STUDENT ASSOCIATION

The Oregon Student Association (OSA) is a student-run, student-led advocacy and organizing nonprofit that exists to represent and advance the shared interests of Oregon’s college and university students. OSA brings students together to build collective power, develop their professional political skills, and achieve concrete wins for students on the issues they care about. Through legislative advocacy and grassroots organizing, OSA is working towards a future where a quality, equitable, debt-free higher education is affordable and accessible for ALL Oregonians.
www.orstudents.org/