Easing Food Insecurity Among College Students: CalFresh Recommendations for SNAP Administrators

Addressing food insecurity on college campuses can have a dramatic impact on the health and educational outcomes of students. The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), called CalFresh in California, is a primary means of addressing food insecurity on college campuses.

Findings: Based on a survey of students at six college campuses (UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, UC Davis, Fresno State, Los Angeles Mission College, and Napa Valley College), authors of this fact sheet found that half of those college students reported experiencing food insecurity, including 28% who skipped meals because they couldn't afford food.

Authors analyze what characterizes a well-run campus-based CalFresh program for students and the challenges those programs face. They make recommendations to SNAP administrators on how to build successful programs and promote student use of CalFresh.