Strategies and Resources for Institutions of Higher Education

Increase access to healthy, nutritious food

• Contact your closest regional food bank to explore partnership opportunities.
  • Regional food banks in Pennsylvania can be found through Feeding PA or Hunger-Free PA
    
• Implement healthy and affordable vending machines.
• Provide a variety of meal plans, including an option that provides 10 or fewer meals weekly to avoid interfering with SNAP eligibility.
• Increase capacity of food pantries.
• Implement a meal-sharing program, such as Swipe Out Hunger.
• Create or expand a food recovery program to rescue food that would otherwise be wasted.
  • The following organizations work to recover food across Pennsylvania, some with a specific focus on college campuses:
    
    • 412 Food Rescue (serving Greater Pittsburgh)
    • Chester County Food Bank Food Rescue (serving Chester County)
    • Fooding Forward (serving Greater Philadelphia)
    • Philly Food Rescue (serving Greater Philadelphia)
    • Rolling Harvest Food Rescue (serving Bucks and Montgomery Counties)
    • Sharing Excess (serving Greater Philadelphia and beyond)
    • FeedShare (app that can be used anywhere)
• Encourage campus stores to become SNAP eligible.

Increase awareness of available supports and resources

• Add relevant information or links to the Dining and/or Student Affairs websites to ensure that food supports are easy to find.
• Create an informational food security resource website.
• Change website and brochure language to help reduce stigma.
• Provide an interactive food resource map.
• Educate student leaders on campus to create student-centered programming.
• Provide educational opportunities for students and staff.
• Connect work study and financial aid recipients with SNAP outreach services and other food security support services on campus.
• Participate in the #RealCollege Survey and/or other data gathering efforts.
  • Gather data on the general population not just those who use the pantry or other school resources to gain a better idea of the full scope of the problem
    
• Work with peer counselors to spread information about available assistance.

Partner with school, government, and community organizations to improve services

• Register with the Department of Human Services as a COMPASS community partner. 
  • SNAP Student Eligibility Meeting Webinar (YouTube)
    
• Make food pantries the hub for other campus resources.
• Partner with organizations that help with benefits screenings.
• Create a student organization to address food insecurity.
• Conduct regular staff meetings that focus on food security.
• Pre-screen for SNAP eligibility and refer likely eligible students to application assistance during registration.
• Train financial aid staff on eligibility for food assistance and other benefits.
• Offer training and information to general staff to promote awareness of basic needs resources.
• Partner with the college's food service provider
• Partner with local County Assistance Offices to offer on-campus supports.
• Partner with organizations who specialize in food security efforts, such as:
  • Swipe Out Hunger
    
  • The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University
  • Nazun (Previously Challah for Hunger)
    
  • Food Security Network Resources - Partners for Campus Community
    
• Enhance affordable food offerings that include nutritious options:
  • PA Eats — Celebrating Food + Fighting Hunger in Pennsylvania
    
  • Nou​rish PA Archives — PA Eats