Community college students need access to comprehensive reproductive health care to support them in achieving both their educational and reproductive goals. This brief highlights barriers to contraceptive access among young people attending community college and outlines policies and programs that can support access. Drawing on data from a…

The authors sought to identify the prevalence of food insecurity in a community college district during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team also investigated the association food insecurity had with academic performance. A sample of 238 individuals completed the survey, including a demographic questionnaire and the Adult Food Security Survey Module, a…

College students are more likely to be food insecure than the general population. CalFresh (SNAP) food benefits can reduce hunger by helping low-income students pay for their food. This is particularly relevant as the rising cost of food is putting extra strain on students' budgets. Unfortunately, the administrative hurdles and time required to…

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. Food benefits delivered through the CalFresh program, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can reduce hunger by helping students pay for groceries but may not reach all eligible students. To date, higher education systems…

In spring 2023, The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (The RP Group) partnered with the CEO Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce of the Community College League of California (CCLC) to assist in survey data collection efforts and provide updated data trends regarding California Community College (CCC)…

Food insecurity, housing insecurity, and homelessness are pervasive issues within the United States. Research conducted to understand the extent to which college students specifically experience food and housing insecurity indicates a relationship between unmet basic needs and negative educational outcomes. Both higher education institutions and…

The problem addressed by this study was how food insecurity influences the school environment and student academic achievement in grades kindergarten through eight (K-8). This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore how K-8 school leaders describe the influence of food insecurity on K-8 students' school environment and academic achievement.…

This paper presents findings from a survey of 34 food policy councils (FPCs) in California. The survey addressed organizational structure and functions, policy priorities and achievements, and the use of research or other information. We find that most FPCs have formed in recent years, operate with small budgets and limited or no staff, and…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify which student groups Black students perceive as needing food assistance, to explore how Black students' perceptions of students in need impacts their decision to utilize the on-campus food pantry at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and to identify the circumstances that…

Food insecurity is a problem that significantly impacts student success and well-being. Nationally, household food insecurity is 12.3% while in the California State University (CSU) system, college food insecurity is 41.6%, making food insecurity in the CSU over three times the amount of the national household food insecurity rate. The most common…

While food insecurity exists in the United States, research has shown it is felt at larger rates among the undergraduate student population. Those colleges with higher numbers of enrolled students of color also have larger numbers of students who are facing food insecurity. The California community college (CCC) system serves a diverse population…

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. Food benefits delivered through the CalFresh program, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), can reduce hunger by helping students pay for groceries, but may not reach all eligible students. To date, higher education systems…

Students in postsecondary education experience housing and food insecurity in increasing numbers. Their particular needs as students make it difficult for them to use traditional shelters. This chapter describes how two students from University of California, Los Angeles, created a shelter designed for students from the university and from Santa…

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. CalFresh food benefits, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, can help students in California pay for food, but may not reach all eligible students. To better measure student participation in CalFresh, the California Policy Lab (CPL)…

Food insecurity is widespread among college students in the United States. CalFresh food benefits, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, can help students in California pay for food, but may not reach all eligible students. To better measure student participation in CalFresh, the California Policy Lab (CPL)…