EdTrust, TICAS, TSC, and SHEEO hosted a webinar featuring GAO to support the 4 million college students experiencing food insecurity to get SNAP benefits.
October 16, 2024 by EdTrust 
The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have highlighted the critical need for comprehensive support systems on college campuses. With food insecurity affecting more than 47 million Americans, it’s clear we must do more to address hunger and provide essential food assistance.
A recent report by the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed a startling gap in support: despite their eligibility, many college students are being left out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In 2020 alone, 3.8 million college students — nearly 1 in 4 — reported experiencing food insecurity. Alarmingly, over 2.2 million of those students faced very low food security, meaning they frequently had to skip meals or eat less because they couldn’t afford food.
This issue disproportionately affects students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, first-generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and those attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) — many of whom also face housing insecurity.
To tackle these challenges, EdTrust, in partnership with The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) and State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO), Today’s Student Coalition (TSC) and featuring GAO officials, hosted a virtual event on October 16. They discussed policy recommendations that directly address student hunger, shared best practices for campuses to support students eligible for SNAP, and heard from students experiencing food insecurity firsthand.
