National findings reveal that almost half of all college students experience hunger while attending school, with first-generation and non-white students being disproportionately affected. Due to lacking access to adequate food and strict requirements for food assistance programs, a majority of these students found themselves missing class or unable to afford needed textbooks. An op-ed in The New York Times, titled “It’s Hard to Study if You’re Hungry,” discusses how some colleges are responding. It’s penned by Sara Goldrick-Rab, an author and professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University.
The Colorado Food Resource Collaborative, which is facilitated by Hunger Free Colorado, recently hosted a quarterly meeting focused on this topic—hunger on college campuses—and how community partners can make an impact. Representatives from Arapahoe Community College, Colorado State University, and University of Colorado-Denver presented practices being employed to address hunger on their campuses, with some being new and/or innovative, as well as asked community partners for support in shaping and collaborating on such efforts. Then, attendees and representatives participated in facilitated table discussions where additional ideas and opportunities were shared and considered. There were many productive conversations and connections made that day, helping us move forward with ending hunger on college campuses across Colorado.
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