Frequently Asked Questions

What is the goal of this campaign?

Campus hunger is a far-reaching issue rooted in structural injustice which disproportionately affects already marginalized communities like students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, and students from low-income households.

 

However, we can meaningfully lessen rates of food insecurity by increasing student eligibility for SNAP benefits (which gives recipients funds to purchase groceries) and increase the number of resources colleges can provide students to meet their basic needs (like food and housing).

 

The goal of this campaign is to pass and protect federal legislation that removes barriers for students to access SNAP and introduce Hunger Free Campus Grant legislation in all 50 states.

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What kinds of resources do you offer?

We have a variety of resources spanning from information about student SNAP eligibility, recorded webinars on advocacy training, and advocacy toolkits to help you get started to #FUELHigherEd.

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What is the Campus Hunger Project?

The Campus Hunger Project is Challah for Hunger’s national initiative to combat campus food insecurity by providing student leaders with the tools and skills to create or improve resources for food insecure students on individual college campuses. You can learn more about the Campus Hunger Project here.

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Where can I find more information about campus food insecurity?

• Temple University's Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice has been conducting national and local research on student basic needs for more than 5 years. Their website includes links to all of their reports as well as informational webinars and other resources.

• Dr. Rashida Crutchfield led a basic needs study of the Cal State University system (which encompasses 23 college campuses across the state of California and half a million college students) in 2014 and has continued to be a lead researcher and scholar on the issue.

• The Privileged Poor by Anthony Jack, an assistant professor at Harvard, breaks down the ways elite universities have failed marginalized students and offers recommendations on how universities can remedy this.

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Can I / my organization really make a difference?

 

YES.

 

Social action researchers and organizers with decades of experience popularized a model for effective social movements in the late 1990s called the Movement Action Plan (MAP) Model. Their analysis of dozens of effective social movements across multiple continents showed that to turn the tide on an issue and move powerholders to action requires public opinion in support of the movement's demands be at 30%. This means every tweet at an elected official, email to your Congressmember, petition signed by all 1,000 members of your organization, informational Facebook post, and more add up.

 

We don't need everyone on our side to win, but we need some. Any action you take to highlight the pervasiveness of campus food insecurity and the goals of this campaign will help turn the tide.

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I’d like my organization to join the campaign, what does it mean to join?

Joining the campaign means you are committed to our goals and principles and willing to publicly endorse the #FUELHigherEd campaign. As a campaign sponsor, your organization will gain:​

1.  Advocacy trainings to equip your audiences with the knowledge and tools to implement our campaign’s goals, such as Leveraging Research to Effect  Policy, SNAP & College Students, and Building Collective Power.

2. Opportunities to further engage your audience and volunteers in direct advocacy actions.

3. Monthly gatherings with other #FUELHigherEd partners to share and coordinate your advocacy efforts within the campaign. Opportunities to share actions and advocacy wins with a national network.

4. Increased visibility of your organization on a national scale

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I’d like to get involved as an individual, how can I take action?

• College students can join one of our working groups that meet monthly to help move our campaign goals forward. Learn more here.

• Use our Advocacy Toolkits to write letters, engage your community, and build power.

• Read and share the resources above and our page on Student SNAP Eligibility.

• Sign up for our newsletter. We'll share ongoing updates about the campaign and regular advocacy actions you can take to raise awareness on the issue and compel policymakers to pass our policy priorities.

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