One Texas lawmaker is looking to decrease college food insecurities or student hunger at Texas colleges and universities, an issue that affects thousands of college students across the nation.
House Bill 1289 filed by Texas Democratic Rep. John Bucy aims to tackle student hunger issues at post-secondary institutions primarily through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
College students across the country rely on SNAP for health benefits and food access but only 33 percent are potentially eligible; according to the Food Research and Action Center. About 2.2 million students face food insecurity because of financial constraints.
At Sam Houston State University, Director Kathleen Gilbert has watched the issue worsen firsthand as director of the campus Food Pantry.
She has seen the amount of students’ visits climb from just 17 from when the university first started the pantry in 2015 to more than 4,300 this academic year.
Gilbert said the number one issue for nationwide food insecurity is financial issues, but here at Sam Houston State University, where the community is smaller, it is also the lack of transportation to get food access. Huntsville does not have a public transportation system.
People assume college students have support from parents and scholarships, but the reality is many students are on their own trying to work two jobs and afford to pay bills, eat and study, added Gilbert.
Kemarius Miller, a photography major at Sam Houston State University and volunteer at the Food Pantry, said what motivated him to volunteer is that he didn’t have access to a lot of resources growing up.
“I want (state lawmakers) to realize how big the issue really is,” said Miller.
There is this idea that if you are in college, you must be solely independent and able to do everything on your own; that is just not the case, said Miller.
Stories like Miller’s tell a broader trend affecting campuses across the country. Food insecurity isn’t an isolated issue; it has become a widespread issue for many college students.
According to Health Affairs, a peer-reviewed health journal, about 35 million Americans were food insecure in 2019 and that number has doubled since March 2020.
Since the pandemic, 30 percent of college students now experience some sort of food insecurity.
Gilbert stated that the pandemic is where income issues arose for college students. The food industry, retail and tourism were hit heavily during this time.
“These are the main industries of income for students, and many were fired, making it harder to afford food,” said Gilbert.
Gilbert said she wished this bill could get the attention it needs, because nationally there are not many student hunger resolutions for post-secondary institutions.
Gilbert stressed that the goal of the pantry is to permanently close its doors because there is no need for it.
For more information about the Food Pantry, students can contact Director Kathleen Gilbert at [email protected].
The bill is awaiting action in House Higher Education Committee.
