Physical Health
Food and clothing are vital components when addressing student basic needs. Food insecurity for college students is not a new phenomenon. As early as 1999, long-term studies1 were conducted to determine the effects of food insecurity on postsecondary outcomes. The pandemic demonstrated that more effort was required to meet the true needs of all learners, thereby impacting outcomes. It's been noted that roughly 52%2 of students have faced hunger while attending college.
Many students on campus may face financial hardships due to educational costs and cannot afford weather-appropriate clothing. Providing clothing options through thrift stores on campus can promote independence, reduce stigma, and boost students' self-esteem and confidence. This can instill a sense of campus community when all basic needs are met by resources provided directly on campus to remove barriers for students to access them.
State Resources
Pennsylvania Hunger-Free Campus Initiative (pa.gov) 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.
COMPASS is a website through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) that brings together services available for application for those who qualify. Campuses can sign up to be a PA COMPASS partner. Play a video that explains the COMPASS resources.
Services available through COMPASS:
- Food & Nutrition Assistance (SNAP and TANF)
- Health Care
- Cash Assistance
- Childcare Assistance
- Home and Community Based Service Referrals
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
PA Department of Human Services (DHS)
Also known as food stamps, SNAP benefits are used to buy food and help eligible low-income households in Pennsylvania obtain more nutritious diets by increasing their food purchasing power at grocery stores and supermarkets. If you are eligible, you will receive a debit card called an ACCESS Card. You can use this card to buy food at grocery stores, supermarkets and other stores that accept them.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
PA Department of Human Services (DHS)
Also referred to as cash assistance, TANF provides cash assistance to pregnant women and dependent children and their parents or relatives who live with and care for them.
Medical Assistance (MA)
Medical Assistance, also known as Medicaid or HealthChoices (in PA) pays for health care services for eligible individuals.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) provides immunization information for all Pennsylvanians and information on getting healthcare. Health insurance may be a requirement for students at certain institutions enrolled in specific programs. Ensuring students have a clear understanding of these requirements and are provided resources to access health care from the start of their education journey will aid in their success. This includes access to fitness centers and local health facilities.
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) allows drug, alcohol, and other human services professionals to register for trainings offered throughout the Commonwealth. DDAP launched a free web-based treatment locator displaying transparent, objective information on the quality of addiction treatment facilities. Treatment Atlas brings information to the forefront, helping individuals with substance use disorder, families, and community members alike in locating and comparing addiction facilities based on the quality of care.
The nation's opioid epidemic is important to learn about and to educate students on. The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) offers a robust resource page for Opioid Awareness. Through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and NEXT Distro, anyone can get naloxone mailed to their home for free. Training is available at the Department of Health's approved training on TRAIN PA. This easy-to-understand training will cover the origins of the opioid crisis, explain how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, what to do in the event of an overdose, and instruct on how to give naloxone.
State Food Purchase Program (SFPP)
PA Department of Agriculture (PDA)
Pennsylvania leads the country in providing food assistance for the needy under the SFPP. This program provides cash grants to counties for the purchase and distribution of food to low-income individuals.
Disaster Feeding Operations
Do you know the roles of organizations if/when disaster strikes? Learn more about Emergency Support Functions and Disaster feeding operations.
Additional State Resources
PA 211
If you need to connect with resources in your community, but don't know where to look, PA 211 is a great place to start. The United Way offers help finding food assistance, as well as other services such as help with utilities bill, housing assistance, after-school programs for kids, and more. You can dial 211 or text your zip code to 898-211 to talk with a resource specialist for free. Our specialists will listen to your needs and give you information on programs in your community that might be able to help.
Food Banks
Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger-Free Pennsylvania member food banks offer food assistance services in each county through a network of nearly 3,000 local charitable partners — including food pantries, soup kitchens, feeding programs, and shelters. Please contact them directly for assistance or to find out how you can help support their mission.
Unemployment Compensation Program (UC)
The Unemployment Compensation (UC) program provides temporary income support if you lose your job through no fault of your own or if you are working less than your full-time hours. If you qualify, you will receive money for a limited time to help you meet expenses while you seek new employment.
PA WIC
The Pennsylvania Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has improved the nutrition and health of families in Pennsylvania since 1974 by providing nutrition services, breastfeeding support, health care and social service referrals, and healthy foods. Through WIC, pregnant women, mothers, and caregivers of infants and young children learn about good nutrition to keep themselves and their families healthy!
The Hope Center
The State of State Choices: A National Landscape Analysis Of Postsecondary Eligibility Restrictions And Opportunities in SNAP, CCDF, and TANF is a useful overview of the ways that states can maximize public benefit eligibility under existing law and boost student uptake in ways that meaningfully reduce basic needs insecurity and improve students' chances of graduating.
Federal Resources
Federal Food Resources
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
The population served by CSFP is similar to that served by WIC but CSFP also serves older Pennsylvanians and provides food packages rather than the food vouchers that WIC participants receive. Those who are eligible cannot participate in both programs at the same time. CSFP food packages do not provide a complete diet, but rather are good sources of the nutrients typically lacking in the diets of the target population. Food packages include infant formula and cereal, non-fat dry and evaporated milk, juice, oats, pasta, peanut butter, canned meat, tuna, or poultry, and canned fruits and vegetables
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes commonly consumed foods available to state distributing agencies. The state agencies then provide the food to local organizations that directly serve the public (food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, etc.). These local organizations distribute the food to eligible recipients or use them to prepare and serve meals in a congregate setting.
Federal Rescue Organizations
Food Recovery Network Pennsylvania
View a list of active chapters at Pennsylvania colleges and universities
Food Recovery Network is the largest student-led movement fighting to end food waste and hunger in America. A national network of 4,000 students, alumni, dining providers, national partners and local businesses works to recover food from campus dining halls, food vendors, restaurants, and farms which would otherwise have gone to waste, to help feed the nearly 42 million people who experienced hunger.
Chester County Food Bank Food Rescue
Serving Chester County
Chester County Food Bank Food Rescue partners with commercial businesses such as wholesalers and manufacturers to rescue food and produce. The rescued donations become available for a variety of reasons such as overproduction, mislabeling, or complications with delivery.
Rolling Harvest Food Rescue
Serving Bucks and Montgomery Counties
Since 2010, Rolling Harvest has been focused on partnering with local farmers, making it easy for them to share their fresh, healthy produce with the food-insecure communities in which they live. Dedicated volunteers help with daily pick-up and delivery schedules from 43 farms and food producers, assist with weekly distributions to more than 80 hunger relief sites, and harvest directly from partners' fields.
412 Food Rescue
Serving Greater Pittsburgh
412 Food Rescue partners with food retailers, volunteer drivers, and nonprofit organizations to connect surplus food with individuals and families who are experiencing food insecurity. With the help of thousands of volunteers — known as Food Rescue Heroes — 412 Food Rescue is able to rescue perfectly good, but unsellable food that would otherwise be wasted and redirect it to people who need it.
Food Connect Group
Serving Greater Philadelphia
Food Connect Group's mission is to bridge the gap between surplus food and hunger. They do this by rescuing excess food from local restaurants and food vendors, and delivered it to community organizations in need.
Philly Food Rescue
Serving Greater Philadelphia
Philly Food Rescue recognized that food benefits people, not landfills. They strive to eliminate food insecurity and food waste, utilizing volunteers to rescue and redirect surplus food from businesses to nearby organizations serving the nearby communities.
Sharing Excess
Serving Greater Philadelphia
Sharing Excess' mission is to bridge the gap between excess and food scarcity by partnering with grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers, and farmers to deliver surplus food to a network of nonprofits, food banks, and community organizations to alleviate local food insecurity.
Breadcoin
Breadcoin is proud to collaborate with local community partners that have been serving their neighborhoods for decades. The Breadcoin token provides these local partners with a food budget to provide a meal to those in need, and Breadcoins can be used as incentives for students or clients, or simply to bring people together. You can point those you serve to our participating restaurants when they need a meal, or you can use the coins to host events (always more successful when food is served!). Watch this video to learn more about Breadcoin.