Many college students are struggling with food insecurity, and are unsure where to turn to for help. This can have a negative impact on a student’s mental health and their performance in class. Personally, when I am hungry, I struggle to focus on my school work. But imagine students who face hunger and food insecurity on a regular basis. Food is a basic need for humans — it keeps us alive. So how is it fair that only some people have full bellies daily while others lack food, especially when they are working so hard to obtain an education?

Society often stigmatizes people who are low-income or experiencing homelessness and not to mention a large number of college students trying to navigate through a pandemic. We need to destigmatize when students rely on their campus for food resources. For example, when the pandemic hit, my family and I struggled financially, and depended on our schools’ free meals, COVID meal delivery, and food pantries to get by. These resources helped us out a lot by allowing us to eat something before bed and ease some of the financial burden. 

Now is the time to speak about the struggles students are facing — not just among each other but to student leaders, campus administrators, legislators, the media, program staff, and government agencies. I know what you are thinking: “How can I get them to listen to me or where can I go for additional support?” My reply to that is, “it is simply elementary, my dear Watson!” Start by signing petitions relating to food access for students, supporting policies that address these issues, call the food directory on campus (you can ask your advisor or student affairs office for contact information), seek community programs for advice or support, organize a demonstration, write to your school newspaper and local press, and post on social media about existing student resources, and the need for more. Currently, my campus, Hostos Community College, provides resources to pantries outside of campus, allows appointments for its own food pantry, and at one point, had collaborated with a restaurant to provide students free meals. By working together as fellow students and community members, we can and will make an impact on addressing the basic needs of young people.

Silvianna Marti is a student at CUNY-Hostos Community College, and a Spring 2021 Young Advocate with YI-New York.