If you are pursuing higher education in Florida, your on-campus food pantry, if you even have one, is likely lacking resources. If you have noticed this at your school, you are not alone. Students across the state are working to take action to address the issue of food insecurity on college campuses by lobbying for the Hunger Free Campus Grant Bill.
This bill was first introduced by Representative Valdes (D) and Senator Taddeo (D) in the last legislative session. The initiative to pass this bill was spearheaded by Florida Student PIRGs, a non-partisan, non-profit organization centered around student activism and organizing and SwipeOut Hunger, a non-profit organization that has worked to introduce and pass bills, similar to the one in Florida, in states across the country.
As broken down by SwipeOut Hunger, the Hunger Free Campus Grant Bill would provide grants for colleges and universities to further expand their hunger initiatives and food pantries. In order to receive the grants, schools are required to start a meal swipe donation program, establish a food pantry that is accessible to students, develop opportunities for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment and organize events for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
After the bill was introduced in the last legislative session, organizations like Florida Student PIRGs and SwipeOut Hunger lobbied on behalf of the bill and made considerable headway in rallying bipartisan student and legislative support. State Senator Keith Perry (R) from Gainesville, FL cosponsored and expressed support for the bill, showing that food insecurity on college campuses is an issue of concern for those on both sides of the aisle. But the bipartisan support was not enough, as the bill did not receive enough attention and died in committee at the end of the session.
Although the bill did not pass earlier this year, passionate students have not backed down. The network of organizations fighting for the introduction and passing of this bill has expanded—Florida Student Association (FSA), a coalition of Student Body Presidents from schools across the state, has agreed that the bill is a main legislative priority for them this year.
This support from FSA illustrates just how extensive the issue of food insecurity is throughout the state of Florida, and organizations like SwipeOut Hunger and Student PIRGs are working to remind students of the importance of researching the candidates in their communities that are up for reelection. Supporters of the Hunger Free Campus Grant Bill all acknowledge that legislators—like Senator Keith Perry, who supports the Hunger Free Campus Grant Bill—will be essential to the introduction and passing of this bill come 2023.
With that, it is important to make informed decisions on who to support in the upcoming election and to get out and vote! Students can check their voter registration status and confirm their precinct location here. For those who attend Florida State University, there is both an early voting location and an election day location on the second floor of the Student Services Building.
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