Cedar Crest College fights food insecurity with food pantry

It’s a topic that isn’t often talked about, but it’s reaching near epidemic proportions: Food insecurity on America’s college and university campuses.

With the costs of education rising – students are having to make the unfortunate and unhealthy choice of deciding whether to pay for school or pay for food. Some are scrounging, some are going hungry and it’s a trend that needs to stop.

Cedar Crest College was one of dozens of schools to participate in a recent survey conducted by Temple University and the Wisconsin HOPE Lab assessing the basic needs of university students across the nation. The study determined that 36 percent of students on U.S. College campuses suffer from food insecurity. You can read the full report here.

In light of that shocking report, Cedar Crest College is continuing to work diligently to combat hunger on campus. The college currently operates a food pantry on campus that is open to all students – traditional undergrads, adult learners and graduate students. The pantry operates solely on donations and gifts, and the college hosts two food drives each year to stock it. It offers non-perishable food items, toiletries and frozen meals.

“It is harder to concentrate on your academic work when you are hungry,” said Mary Alice Ozechoski, Vice President of Student Affairs & Traditional Enrollment. “We believe that students who are food insecure need assistance so they can focus on what matters: completing their education.”

Mary Alice Ozechoski is available to speak with media regarding this issue. Simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.

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