2 in 5 college students face food insecurity colleges are working to help

"I expect to see even more in January and February, because students will be coming back from winter break and be stocking up,"

"We're hearing that there [is] an uptick, an increase in visits and not enough resources to go around,"

"If you don't have enough food available to you on hand It's gonna make you feel heavy, anxious a little bit, maybe even drowsy,"

Penn State Harrisburg's campus food pantry experienced a marked increase in student visits during the fall semester. Pantry coordinator Aimee Wheeler expects even higher demand in January and February as students return from winter break and restock. Nationally, Swipe Out Hunger estimates two in five college students face food insecurity. Rising living costs and uncertainty around SNAP payments contribute to financial strain for many students. Students report hunger affects concentration and academic performance. Some students increasingly rely on campus pantries for groceries and meal supplies, while nonprofit and campus resources report strained inventories and limited capacity to meet growing need.

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