Shapiro administration distributes $1 million to PA colleges to combat food insecurity on campus

Close to one-third of Pennsylvania college students know someone who dropped out of school due to food insecurity. The PA Hunger-Free Grant aims to fund programs on campuses throughout the commonwealth to alleviate hunger. 

Grant funding to help combat food insecurity on college campuses across the commonwealth is being distributed just as the holiday season is underway. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will be awarding $1 million from the PA Hunger-Free Grant program to colleges and universities. Last year, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration awarded grants to 30 public and private schools across Pennsylvania. 

“Learning and achieving is much harder to accomplish when you’re trying to learn on an empty stomach, and food insecurity knows no age or geographic limits—it impacts learners from pre-K to postsecondary in all areas of the Commonwealth,” Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin said in a statement.

“This grant funding will continue the critical work of addressing food insecurity on Pennsylvania’s college and university campuses so students can focus on learning rather than hunger.”

According to Best Colleges, 23% of college students nationally face food insecurity, which happens when someone has limited access to quality food or a variety of different foods. 

The PDE estimates that at least one-third of college students in Pennsylvania know someone who dropped out of college due to food insecurity during the pandemic. 

Colleges that are with the PA Hunger-Free Campus or are PA Hunger-Free Campus designations are able to apply for the following funding:

• $20,000 for schools with 3,000 or fewer students
• $40,000 for schools with 3,001 to 7,000 students
• $60,000 for schools with 7,000 or more students

Eastern University received roughly $40,000 late last month to help strengthen existing initiatives combating food insecurity such as expanding food pantries, offering meal subsidies and providing outreach to students who may need assistance. 

“This funding will allow us to expand our student-led initiatives addressing food insecurity on campus, especially as our enrollment continues to grow,” Jenny Lowman, Assistant Director of Institutional Support at Eastern, said in a statement. 

“We will be able to provide free meal plans to students in need, food packages to 175+ students who remain on campus during breaks due to housing insecurity, and support our student pantry with an inventory system and stipends for student workers