The first time I saw images of college, I was in the eighth grade. The pictures of bright-eyed students walking to classes and eating lunches in food courts hit a nerve because everyone looked so happy and at home. When it finally came time for me to start going on college tours, the tour guides seemed proud to call their colleges a second home– and raved about the professors and resources and new-found experiences that had shaped them. Now that I’m in college, the view is a little different. While I’ve had my fair share of amazing experiences in the first six months I’ve been here, I’ve also seen the sides of college that aren’t shown on brochures; the breakdowns people have days before midterms, the infamous “hell week” that is a running-joke but symbolizes a lot more than back-to-back midterms, and last but not least, the hidden problem of food insecurity.
Food insecurity is a seemingly invisible monster that catches students that seep through the cracks of the university system. The USDA defines food insecurity as “lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” While there have always been jokes about college students’ poor diet, there are actual hidden problems bubbling right in front of our eyes.
I came to college without a meal plan because I still live with my parents, and I’m lucky enough to always have food on the table, but I was naive enough to believe everyone was either on a meal plan or managed to have consistent meals throughout the semester. Unfortunately, students that can’t afford either are in a constant state of concern as to where to get their next meal. According to a 2016 Georgia Tech survey, there are about 2,000 students that self-identify as food insecure– and no one should feel worried about what to eat when they go to one of the nation’s top colleges.
I went on a mission earlier this semester to seek out student organizations that deal with this issue and found Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources (STAR). STAR is led by program director and Georgia Tech faculty member Steve Fazenbaker, as well as student leaders that want to make a long-lasting impact on campus. They help allocate resources for not only food insecurity but also homelessness and financial assistance. One organization they work with to help students dealing with food insecurity is Campus Kitchen. Campus Kitchen serves Georgia Tech students that can’t afford to eat on-campus by packaging meals and stocking perishable items. There are currently about 150 students that access the Campus Kitchen. The goal of both of these aforementioned organizations is to spread more awareness about resources set in place to serve students and to make them more accessible. Organizations like STAR and Campus Kitchen are a guiding light for the future of college campuses that seem to brush students’ health under the rug because not only do they provide resources, but they allow other students to be a part of change by being volunteers.
For those interested, Campus Kitchen currently has two weekly shifts on Tuesdays at 8:00PM and Fridays at 3:00PM where volunteers package meals.
As these organizations seek to become more well-known throughout and across campus, more students can hopefully feel as though their food and financial needs are being met– and campus might start to feel more like the home that was promised in eight-grade brochures.