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Hungry? Grand View University’s New and Improved Food Pantry is Open for Students. 

In 2020, 23 percent of undergraduate students and twelve percent of graduate students all over the U.S. experienced food insecurity. According to the National Center of Education Statistics (NCES) U.S. Department of Education, 4 million students are food insecure, and this accounts for all the college students who do not have enough food to get by, and sometimes even experience homelessness. A lot of this had to do with the pandemic and how many college students were not eligible for government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to eligibility requirements that would specifically exclude millions of college students.

A more recent report conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office in 2024 concluded that 3.8 million college students reported they were experiencing food insecurity.

Food insecurity is a growing issue for college students all over the nation. Hungry college students take their education day by day, and food insecure students do not know what their future meals will look like, which impacts physical and mental health. What is being done to advocate for students that are food insecure?

Karima Koko is the Student Success Coach and works with the AmeriCorps Program. Koko oversees the Grand View University food pantry, which is located in Room 118 in the Student Center near the doors that lead to the L Apartments. 

She makes sure that students can receive the foods they need and want. Koko’s position is to also ensure that there is enough food in the pantry for all students who are signed up and more for future sign ups. 

“It makes me feel great that I am serving our students here at GVU. It makes me feel like I am giving back to the community,” Koko said. 

Prior to the 2024 school year, the food pantry was not in a room and it was located beneath the stairs of the Student Center. It contained a fridge, a shelf, and some boxes, all containing frozen foods, canned and boxed foods, and snacks as well. Students used to be able to come and go as they picked out what they needed. Koko’s job was to restock the pantry every two weeks or whenever the food was running low. The food pantry proved useful for students, as there was a need to restock the pantry. 

Some of the things students are able to receive in the new pantry include basic necessary groceries and dietary items, such as milk, eggs, cheese, fruits, vegetables and sometimes even snacks to enjoy throughout the day. 

“I think the shift from being under the stairs to a room is much better.  A bigger space that has more storage for food, better organization and the ability to serve more students. Plus, having an actual room for the pantry is just much better and more organized,” Koko said. 

Just like any other organized resource, the new food pantry follows certain guidelines to effectively serve students in need, and this is evaluated through certain qualifications for food pantry benefits. 

The process to receive food at the food pantry is to show up, fill out a form that indicates weather a student has low income, comes from a low-income family, or if they are not employed, all of which would allow them to qualify for full access to the pantry. If student applicants partially fall under some of those categories, they are deemed eligible for the food pantry services. There is a limited quantity they can receive so that the pantry can cater to the students who need it the most. This is equity. 

“It’s important for students to have access to food pantries because not all students come from a high-income family, and some students do actually deal with food insecurity,” Koko said. “They don’t have access to food and some students may not eat from the cafeteria [daily],” Koko said. 

According to the Iowa Public Radio, recent research demonstrates that college students are in a vulnerable position, holding the highest hunger rate than other groups in the U.S. 

Surprisingly enough, it is not the first guess someone would have if asked which group is most vulnerable to food insecurity. A lot of this has to do with how taboo food insecurity has become amongst college students. 

“A lot of students may deal with food insecurity, but they are scared because of what other people will say about them, like saying ‘Oh, you’re poor, you don’t have food,’ but it’s not a good idea to be scared about that because it [is] normal. We are all dealing with our things sometimes,” Koko said.

The solutions to hungry college students? Access to food, access to resources, education and awareness of this stigmatized topic. 

“Do not feel ashamed to ask for help if you need food or anything else. Don’t be afraid to ask,” Koko said.

Some colleges provide community gardens on their campus so that students can access fresh fruits and vegetables depending on their needs. Other solutions include the implementation of food pantries and reduced cost of essential food items on campus. The cost of food plays into the cost of living and the rate it takes to live day to day. Being able to afford basic dietary needs is something a full-time student should not have to worry about. That is why the new and improved food pantry at GVU is essential for students to utilize if needed. 

“I’m glad that I get to give back to our GVU students, especially the ones dealing with food insecurities. It’s something no human being should ever have to go through,” Koko said.