🍲 Summary:
Facing rising student food insecurity, California colleges are moving beyond traditional food pantries by launching innovative programs to ensure students don’t go hungry. These creative solutions aim to provide consistent, dignified access to nutritious meals while also addressing stigma and long-term sustainability.
🔑 Key Points:
- Campus farms and gardens: Schools like UC Davis grow fresh produce for students.
- Free hot meal programs: Universities including Cal State Long Beach offer no-cost meals at campus dining halls on certain days.
- Meal swipe sharing: Students can donate extra dining hall swipes to peers in need.
- Mobile food banks and fridges: Portable options bring food directly to high-need areas on campus.
- Nutrition education: Workshops teach students how to cook healthy meals on a budget.
- These programs aim to serve diverse student populations, including first-generation and low-income students.
- Efforts are student-informed, seeking to reduce stigma and ensure participation.
- Schools partner with local farms, nonprofits, and state agencies to support food justice.
