Recently, Elizabethtown College was recognized for its efforts in going above and beyond to alleviate food insecurity among its students by receiving the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus + designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
“This designation is an acknowledgment of the work the College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) has been doing on our campus to eliminate food insecurity for our students,” Elizabethtown College Director for the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, Javita Thompson said. “It will provide access to grant funding and an opportunity to collaborate with other campuses and organizations.”
Collaboration efforts are already underway as Thompson and other CCCE administrators recently attended the third annual Global Goals for Sustainable Development Conference, hosted by Millersville University on May 18. The summit focused on the topic of, “Zero Hunger – Fighting Food Insecurity Regionally.”
To achieve the PA Hunger-Free Campus designation, institutions must certify and be able to demonstrate that they meet several criteria, including directly connecting students to food options such as an on-campus food pantry, assembling a task force that meets on a regular basis to address basic needs initiatives, as well as collecting and reporting data to the campus community and/or state on student food insecurity.
Etown launched the on-campus Blue Jay Pantry in 2019, which was established by the College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) to ensure that all students have regular access to healthy food options by providing free, non-perishable food items sourced from charitable donations made by the campus and local communities. The pantry is open 24/7 in Brossman Commons and is accessible to all undergraduate and graduate Etown students.
Research shows that approximately one-third of college students in the United States are food insecure. Approximately 52% of students who faced food or housing insecurity in 2020 did not apply for support because they did not know how.
To advance student food security efforts across the state, the Pennsylvania Office of the First Lady and the Department of Education (PDE) launched the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus initiative. The initiative includes building a coalition of colleges and universities focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students; creating opportunities for connection among student hunger advocates; providing resources and strategies for campuses; and supporting opportunities to apply for grants related to addressing food insecurity.
The designation is valid for two years, and qualifies Etown to apply for the PA Hunger-Free Campus grant program which can help provide resources to continue this effort.