Want to Fight Hunger? It Takes a Village.
$61,156.92. This is what I owe in student loans for my two, soon to be three, degrees. It would be even higher without some generous scholarships and grants and my own contributions.
I was fortunate enough to live at home for my first degree. Upon moving out for my second degree, working 30 hours per week while going to school full time made it hard to make ends meet and I relied on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) sometimes to get me through the month. I was, by definition, food insecure. I have now taken a job that pays enough so that I am no longer food insecure and in fact, it allows me help those that are food insecure.
I am not an isolated case. Studies are shedding light on the high rates of food insecurity on college campuses, which should come as no surprise because of sky rocketing tuition, overpriced textbooks and exorbitant costs of living. For example, the University of California (UC) system conducted a system wide study to find high rates of food insecurity on all campuses. 42% of UC students system wide reported low or very low food security. In response, the Global Food Initiative was created. This provides resources and funds to each UC to create programs and offer solutions to aid in reducing these numbers. It is a worthwhile initiative and something other universities and campuses should consider.
Now I write these words because I want to break a stereotype that I am increasingly, unfortunately seeing in my community. The stereotype that college kids have it all, that they don’t need food assistance, that they all have homes (homelessness on campuses is another related concern beyond the scope of this piece), that their parents are paying for everything, that they get grants and scholarships and so on. While it may be true for some, it is certainly not true for all. It certainly was not the case for me.
There is a noticeable gap in Merced, California between those not at the UC and those that are at or are affiliated with the UC. This stereotype contributes to it and aids in an “us” versus “them” mentality in Merced.
As mentioned above, there are high rates of food insecurity at the UC (with UC Merced students reporting rates of 57% low to very low food security), but there are also high rates in Merced County, 16.7% to be exact. Therefore, food insecurity is community wide. It affects us all. It is your neighbor, it is your cashier who might go to the UC, it is your coworker.
Food insecurity is a community problem caused by poverty and underemployment/unemployment. A community problem requires a community solution. To solve this, we need to break the barriers, break the silos and break the stereotypes. It cannot be us vs. them any longer. We need to work together because we are stronger together. It will truly take a village, our village, to resolve this issue. But if we can rally, I believe and hope that it can be done.
Call to Action: If you live in Merced County and feel inspired to rebuild our community and fight food insecurity, please consider volunteering with the Merced County Food Bank’s new Picking for Purpose gleaning program or contact me below for other ways to help. If you don’t live in the area, but want to help Merced County, please consider donating to the Merced County Food Bank or you can help your community by doing the same thing.
More reading: http://www.wihopelab.com/publications/Hungry-and-Homeless-in-College-Report.pdf
