Recently, Elizabethtown College was once again recognized for its efforts in going above and beyond to alleviate food insecurity among its students by receiving the renewal of the Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus + designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Valid for two years, Etown originally earned this designation in the spring of 2023.
“It’s an honor to be recognized once again as a Hunger Free campus,” Elizabethtown College Center for Community and Civic Engagement Javita Thompson said. “With this renewed recognition we will continue efforts to expand the Blue Jay Pantry, which receives more than 800 visits per academic year and has become a great resource for residential and commuter students.”
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.
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 in 2022. 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.