Middlesex College Receives Hunger-Free Campus Act Grant to Combat Food Insecurity
Funds from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education will enable the College’s Community Resource Hub & Food Pantry to continue serving student needs.
Middlesex College student volunteer Nigel Garcia helps to stock the Food Pantry during a donation event last fall.
Middlesex College has received a Hunger-Free Campus Act Grant from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) to help alleviate food insecurity among students.
The College is one of 34 institutions of higher education across the state to receive funds through the grant, which was established to foster innovative ways to combat food insecurity on college and university campuses and assist in planning for long-term solutions. Estimates from a spring 2024 survey by OSHE suggest that more than one in three New Jersey students lack consistent access to adequate food resources.
Funds from the grant will be used by the Community Resource Hub & Food Pantry at Middlesex College to purchase food to stock the pantry’s shelves as well as grocery store gift cards to distribute to students experiencing food insecurity. In addition, supplies of personal hygiene and household products will be replenished. Funding will additionally support office operations, part-time staff support, and access to software to manage pantry data and programming.
Amanda Lyons, a community resource coordinator for Counseling and Student Wellness, says the grant funding is essential to keep up with the growing use of the food pantry by students, noting that an average of 180 students visited weekly during the fall 2024 semester.
“Many of our students are working hard to make ends meet while pursuing their studies to improve their employment prospects and quality of life,” Lyons said. “It is very difficult to persevere when struggling just to meet one’s basic needs. We welcome students to access the resources we provide on campus, as well as explore resources in the community that will empower them to be well and achieve their goals.”
The Community Resource Hub & Food Pantry provides food through a weekly grocery shop and daily grab-and-go snacks. Expanded services that address a broader range of basic needs insecurity, including housing, healthcare, transportation, childcare, technology, and internet access, are also available. These include a monthly diaper pickup for students with young children and a Chromebook Loaner program, which offers laptops for students to borrow to complete their coursework.
“In looking at holistic and caring support, we are working on finding more ways to expand basic needs support and additional services to complement the existing student services at Middlesex College to empower students and meeting them right where they are,” said Jennifer Spears, director of Counseling and Student Wellness. “These services are essential toward promoting academic success and retention and overall wellness of students as individuals.”
“Supporting basic needs helps all students to be their best,” Lyons said. “This contributes to better academic engagement in our classrooms and meaningful community engagement on campus.”
The Community Resource Hub and Food Pantry accepts donations of shelf-stable food items, toiletries, cleaning products, baby items, and school supplies at locations around the Middlesex College campus. Visit the Community Resource Hub & Food Pantry for more information.
