Background Half of college students in the United States experience food insecurity - PowerPoint Presentation

1. BackgroundHalf of college students in the United States experience food insecurityStudents from households that are food insecure are from low-income and ethnic minority families Students from WCSU coming from underserved families experience food insecurityThere is heavy reliance on campus pantry workers in defining food insecurity rather than students experiencing the issue Existing solutions are immediate, siloed, and ad hoc WCSU students experiencing food insecurity are not involved in problem definition and solution.There is no feedback mechanism embedded in the services provided by Newman pantry to students who utilize the pantry’s services. Food that is allocated to be distributed runs out even before the anticipated of distribution elapses at Newman Pantry.PurposeTo incorporate the voice of students who utilize the Newman Food Pantry in the problem definition of food insecurity and services received Other goals include:Reducing  food insecurity on WCSU campus Encouraging partnership between Newman Pantry & Move for Hunger (An organization located in Red Bank NJ, that works to reduce food waste and food insecurity in the US) to ensure sustainability of the solutionsMethodsProject participants were recruited from the Newman Food Pantry on WCSU campusNeeds assessment was conducted through online surveyA food drive is in the process of being executed based on needs presented in the surveyAn outcome evaluation will be conducted after the food drive through an online surveyPartnership will be encouraged between the Newman pantry and Move for HungerPreliminary Findings27.3% reported experiencing food insecurity based on this criterion“In the last 12 months” food bought just didn’t last, and there was no money to get more 54.5% reported being unawareof the Newman PantryPreliminary Findings Contd. How well the pantry has met student needsHow food insecurity can be reduced on WCSU campus“By sharing information about the food pantry”“They should provide a variety of nutritional meals for students at the exit and entrance of the schools”.“Informing more people about the club and host events in dorm buildings”“Giving students on Westside campus food pantry access”“Making the pantry more accessible (more hours!!)” Discussion & ConclusionsFood insecurity is a problem on WCSU Campus. Despite the existence of a food pantry to address the issue, there is the problem of access to the food pantry in terms of location, hours that the pantry is opened and the messaging about the existence of the pantry. While a small section of the students report that the food distributed met their dietary needs, majority of the students revealed that their dietary needs to a great extent was not met. Food insecurity on college campuses have had solutions that seems to be inadequate despite the abundance of resources in the United States. Both the problem definitions and solutions to food insecurity tends to be the driving forces of this inadequacy. This social justice and human rights issue needs an intervention that promotes client-voice and choice and sustainability which this project seeks to accomplish. This intervention also brings back the respect to people’s dignity and worth that has been missing in the existing strategies for addressing the issue.Mercy Y. DufeMasters in Social Work, Global & Community Practice (Concentration Year)College Campus Food Insecurity: A study to address the lack of WCSU students’ voice as beneficiaries in the Newman food pantry program IMAGE