COLLEGE HUNGER : A HIDDEN PROBLEM
Over the past decade, the rates of food insecurity at community colleges and four-year institutions have steadily increased. Recently, the GAO reviewed 31 studies on local and regional college hunger, showing that the majority indicated that over a third of college students don’t always have enough to eat. Approximately 1 in 4 students at traditional 4-year schools reported being food insecure (Food Insecurity on College Campuses), and in 2016 a stunning 56% of community college students reported being food insecure (Hungry and homeless in college). Thanks to a series of articles in major publications of the past few years, there is a growing awareness that an alarming number of college students have been living without access to the food they need to be active and healthy individuals. The College and University Food Bank Alliance (CUFBA) along with several researchers nationwide have started to paint a more complete picture of the struggles of young individuals pursuing a conversation.
According to a study conducted by Wesley-Luther and the Dean for Students Office in 2017, 34.9% of UNCG students are food insecure in a given year (2017). In 2018, the National Survey of Student Engagement found that 1 in 5 students skip meals because they do not have enough money. One-half of students at UNCG worry about not having enough money to pay their bills (NSSE 2018). We know that UNC Greensboro student make substantial sacrifices to be a part of our Spartan community, and to forge a path toward a better future for themselves and our home city. We hope to stand by our fellow Spartans to make sure that student goes hungry while creating a path to a better life.
For students who are working so hard to build a better life for themselves, and a better world for everyone, the extra stress, worry, and anxiety about food is unmanageable. Vulnerable populations and minority students are especially likely to experience college hunger and have the effects of that hunger magnified. Nearly 3 in 4 students at UNCG work part-time or full-time jobs. Some non-traditional or first generation students skip meals in order allow their dependents to eat. For many, they have grown up in a food insecure household that has already set them at a disadvantage.
The UNC Greensboro campus is working together to combat hunger through partnerships across the university. The Division of Student Affairs, Campus Enterprises, New Student Experiences, Student Government Association, and Wesley-Luther are all working together to create meaningful support for struggling students. A new initiative, “Spartan Essentials,” will bring several food resources, like the Spartan Open Pantry, together to form a network of support to combat student hunger. We know that the underlying social issues that drive hunger will take decades to overcome, and we Spartans are committed to being a part of that process. After all, it is the #UNCGway.