West Chester, PA (September 20, 2024) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta is reminding colleges and universities that they have only a few days left to apply for funding through the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
The program, now in its third year, provides grants to colleges that set up and expand free food pantries on campus and take other steps to meet students’ nutritional needs.
Eligible postsecondary institutions with the PA Hunger-Free Campus or PA Hunger-Free Campus+ designation have until September 23, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. to apply for funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s eGrants system
Additionally, Pennsylvania schools working to address food insecurity that have yet to receive PA Hunger-Free Campus designation are encouraged to apply for designation by September 30, 2024.
This week, at the Chester County Food Bank’s inaugural Rally Against Hunger, Comitta discussed the importance of addressing hunger on college campuses.
“No student should have to go hungry to access the dream of higher education. When one-third of college students report missing meals due to food insecurity, that’s a problem,” Comitta, who serves on the Senate Education Committee said. “We’ve made great progress in addressing hunger in Pennsylvania public schools with universal free breakfast. Now, we’re working to address food and basic needs insecurity on campus.”
The rally, organized as part of Hunger Action Month, took place on the steps of the historic Chester County Courthouse. It also included remarks from state Rep. Chris Pielli, the Chester County Commissioners, Chester County Food Bank CEO Andrea Youndt, and others.
Comitta, a former public school teacher and West Chester University (WCU) alumna, also praised the campus community for their efforts to connect with food bank partners, like the West Chester Food Cupboard.
“We all deserve to know where our next meal is coming from. Hunger is a solvable problem and that is most apparent when we come together and work together to ensure that everyone has the food and resources they need to thrive,” she said in thanking food bank volunteers and advocates.
Last year, WCU was awarded more than $54,000 in state grant funding through the PA Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
This year, eligible colleges and universities may apply for competitive funding in an amount up to:
- $20,000 for institutions with 3,000 or fewer learners;
- $40,000 for institutions with 3,001 to 7,000 learners; and
- $60,000 for institutions with 7,001 learners or more.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 23% of undergraduate students in the United States experience food insecurity. The rate of undergraduate students experiencing food insecurity is more than double the rate among all U.S. households.
To help combat this growing problem, Comitta introduced legislation creating a permanent Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program to assist colleges in establishing and maintaining food pantries and other resources to combat basic needs insecurity.
In 2022, a budget initiative based on Comitta’s legislation created the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Initiative and has since allocated $3 million to Pennsylvania colleges to address food insecurity on their campuses.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Initiative please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website.