Although food insecurity is common among college students, they face significant barriers in accessing food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Despite being a proven program designed to ameliorate food insecurity, eligibility requirements and student-specific restrictions have prevented many eligible students…

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…

Purpose: We used data from the National Survey of Children's Health to (1) examine differences in economic hardship and safety net program use after the implementation of federal relief efforts, and (2) assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated autism-based disparities in hardship and program use. Methods: We examined five dimensions of…

This year, Newark Kids Count looks a bit different. Rather than a comprehensive data report, Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) will be releasing smaller "snapshots," showing the impact of the pandemic on children and families with data currently obtained that can provide some insight for stakeholders in Newark. This first data…

Objective: We examined how students' food insecurity related to their demographic information, academic experiences, use of food programs, and reflections on food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 246 NYC undergraduates during the first 9 months of the pandemic. Methods: Students reported on food insecurity (e.g., USDA's 10-item AFSSM),…

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…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established primarily in the post-Civil War era to meet the educational needs of Black Americans. They provide pathways to upward social mobility and have a long-standing commitment to promoting both academic success and students' health and well-being. But persistent funding inequities at…

Weakening federal assistance programs that provide children with affordable health care, nutritious food, stable housing, and early childhood education by imposing funding cuts, work requirements, unreasonable time limits, and other unnecessary bureaucratic barriers undermines access to services for low income families and undercuts opportunities…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program) is a key component of the U.S. social safety net. SNAP is the only social safety net program universally available to low-income Americans, and is intended to help families meet their basic nutritional needs. It can also help to stabilize the economy…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education that was held to discuss the future of higher education post COVID-19. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Frederica S. Wilson, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Education and Workforce Investment; and (2)…

Food insecurity--the condition of having inadequate food due to a lack of resources--affected roughly 1 in 10 Americans in 2019, and this number increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among college students nationwide, the prevalence of food insecurity is unknown; however, studies have shown that food insecurity is a problem for some college…

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a signature federal program that in FY2019 provided financial assistance to 35 million low-income Americans. SNAP is a focused program that increases food access, reduces hunger, and improves the nutrition and health of low-income American families. It is in the interest of the nation and…