Approaches to Food Insecurity at Different Institutional Types

ABSTRACT

Post‐secondary education, including two‐ and four‐year colleges, has become more accessible to many students, including underserved populations; however, challenges to accessing basic needs have been on the rise. This paper reviews how different institutional types respond to and support food insecurity. We present three case studies (a community college district in Arizona, a Research 1 Institution in Arizona, and a state‐wide approach in Alabama) to highlight the different levels of intervention and what lessons we can learn from these diverse institutions. To tackle the growing problem of basic needs among college students, this article describes interventions that must take place at the local, state, and federal levels. At the local level, we see Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) providing a wide range of care, including assessing the levels of food insecurity and other basic needs, providing access to food pantries with reduced‐cost meals, and connecting students to resources, including federal programs. At the state level, creating coalitions between institutions to share best practices, research, and network is important. At the federal level, a tool adapted for surveying college students needs to be developed, and subsequent modification of resources such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) better adapted to this population.