NEWS

Addressing Food Insecurity Among College Students

Carol Tinkle provides students with access to food they need. Patrick Sullivan | Washtenaw Voice

Kristy Kazzi

Staff Writer

Food insecurity remains a prevalent yet often overlooked issue among college students across the nation. As students strive to pursue their education, many find themselves struggling to afford basic necessities, including food.

However, amidst this challenge, community initiatives and resources are dedicated to alleviating hunger and supporting students in need.

At WCC, Carol Tinkle spearheads efforts to support students facing food insecurity. The college’s food service, operated by Tinkle, offers assistance to students who may not receive sufficient aid through financial assistance programs. Tinkle ensures accessibility by allowing students to visit the WCC resource center during convenient hours, offering food coverage alongside support for tuition, childcare and more.

Students at WCC can receive immediate help, with two bags of food available four times a semester.

“If you’re hungry and you are thinking about ‘where am I going to get my next meal?’ it certainly impacts the success of students,” says Tinkle.

Carol Tinkle, a WCC project and data technician, manages the WCC Emergency Food Cupboard. Patrick Sullivan | Washtenaw Voice

In Washtenaw County, Food Gatherers makes food accessible. Lauren Grossman, the Communications Coordinator at Food Gatherers, emphasizes the organization’s commitment to ensuring that no individual goes hungry.

“Anyone in need of food can get food,” says Grossman. “There is no proof of need required.”

In 2023, Food Gatherers assisted over 500 callers and distributed 7.8 million pounds of food, equivalent to 6.5 million meals. Moreover, Food Gatherers goes beyond food distribution, focusing on outreach to address the root causes of hunger.

“Hunger is rarely someone’s only problem,” Grossman said, emphasizing the organization’s efforts to connect individuals with various support programs, including housing assistance, utilities and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application aid.

Volunteers play a crucial role in Food Gatherers’ mission, with over 3,000 volunteers annually.

“Volunteers are the heart of our mission,” said Grossman; inviting community members to participate and make a difference.

According to Grossman, Food Gatherers and their network of over 140 partners helped 56,000 individuals in Washtenaw County access healthy food. Counting repeat beneficiaries, Food Gatherers provided more than one million instances of assistance.

Expanding on helping people access healthy food, the healthy food pantry program partnered with 15 schools to connect over 1,500 families per month to produce groceries. The summer food service program hosted 17 sites to ensure 729 children could access healthy meals while school was out.

Additionally, the WCC resource center strives to streamline assistance, making the process quick and non-intrusive. Donations are welcomed, contributing to the sustainability of these vital resources.

For students and individuals seeking additional support, Washtenaw County offers additional food and meal resources, ensuring that no one in the community faces hunger alone.

https://www.washtenaw.org/3159/Food-Groceries

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify that Food Gatherers provided 56,000 unique individuals with food, totaling over one million instances of food distribution services in Washtenaw County.