Albany, NY – With nearly half of all CUNY students and a third of all SUNY students experiencing food insecurity before the pandemic – lawmakers will join student advocates and local community partners in a discussion of student food insecurity and the need to pass the “Hunger Free Campus Act – S. 1151/A. 6881” this session to provide New York’s institutions of higher education the funding they need to end college student hunger across the empire state.
Working to provide food security for those attending post-secondary institutions, State Senator Anna Kaplan and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal filed S 1151/A 6881. This bill will designate certain qualified campuses as “Hunger Free”, meaning that there have been measures taken to certify the wellbeing of students and eradicate food instability within the population in a discreet and effective way. Once institutions are certified by the Department of Education as “Hunger Free Campuses” they will then be eligible for a competitive grant to increase the capacity of their on-campus programs. The bill calls for $20 million/2 years in funding for the Hunger Free Campus grants.
WHO: Speakers and Attendees include –
- Senator Anna Kaplan (D/IP/WF – Nassau County)
- Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D/WF – Manhattan)
- Senator Phil Boyle (R-Bay Shore)
- Senator Andrew Gournades (D-Brooklyn)
- Assemblymember Gina Stilliti (D/WF – Nassau County)
- Assemblymember Jessica Gonzales Rojas (D/WF – Queens)
- Sally A. D’Alessandro, Director UAlbany Student Care Services
- Ashley Ross, Graduate Student and Purple Pantry Volunteer
WHAT:
Press Conference and Tour of the University at Albany’s student food pantry the Purple Pantry in support of S.1151/A.6881: Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program.
WHEN
Monday, April 25 10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Tour of UAlbany Purple Pantry (Campus Center 329) 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Press Conference w. Lawmakers and Students (Campus Center Boardroom)
WHERE:
University at Albany Campus Center Boardroom (1st Floor – Next to Starbucks and RM 191) – 1400 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12222
(After turning onto Center Drive West, you will see Visitor Lot 3 on the left. Park in Visitor Lot 3, no fee required. After parking, walk down Center Drive West and enter the Campus Center through the doors located just beyond the small traffic circle (on the ground level).
Institutions included in the “Hunger Free Campus” program are eligible to receive a grant, based on the necessities of that campus to be put towards mitigating and eventually eliminating hunger within the campus; this can be seen in the form of sustainable food security solutions, creation of partnerships, and increased awareness.
To ensure their continued eligibility for this program, campuses must accomplish a series of annual tasks. Creating a student task force and surveying the population, providing information on how students can use SNAP benefits, hosting activities and events to raise awareness, and providing access to a food pantry are requirements for institutions to continue to receive grant money to target food insecurity within their population.
Bill sponsor Senator Anna Kaplan (D/IP/WF – Nassau County) said “too many college students across New York State suffer from food insecurity, impacting their wellbeing, and causing their studies to suffer. We need to do more to stop hunger on college campuses by passing the Hunger Free Campus Act this year, so that all of our students have the opportunity to succeed and thrive. I’m grateful for my partnership with Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal on this vital legislation, and for the leadership of Swipe Out Hunger in combating the crisis of student hunger.”
Bill sponsor Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal (D/WF – Manhattan), Chair of the Committee on Social Services said, “College students shouldn’t be forced to decide between buying books or buying food, but that’s the sad reality for far too many of New York’s college students who don’t qualify for SNAP benefits as a result of the stringent work requirements. Astonishingly, they have to take on debt just to eat. I’m proud to partner with Swipe Out Hunger and State Senator Anna Kaplan to pass the Hunger-Free Campus Act, which would provide colleges with the support and funding necessary to implement comprehensive hunger prevention strategies. This bill will help set up the next generation of students for success by ensuring that they can spend more time on their studies and not be constantly worried where their next meal will come from.”
“Throughout American history New York has led the nation in educational access and attainment. No stranger to adversity and known to tackle challenges head on, New York has the opportunity to continue the fight to eradicate the crisis of college student hunger across the Empire State,” said Rachel Sumekh, Founder and CEO of Swipe Out Hunger. “The Hunger Free Campus Act will assist the hardworking students and staff of New York’s campuses to provide the needed resources to end hunger amongst their student body and build stronger communities statewide.
About Swipe Out Hunger:
Founded by a group of friends at University of California Los Angeles in 2010, Swipe Out Hunger is the leading nonprofit addressing hunger among college students.We promote on-campus solutions, policy and advocacy pathways, and student empowerment practices to address student hunger.
We work closely with leaders on-the-ground to not only ensure today’s students have access to meals, but to also address student hunger upstream with sustainable legislation and policies. Our national movement spans more than 400 colleges in all 50 states and has served 2.5 million nutritious meals to date.
Media Contact
Company Name: Swipe Out Hunger
Contact Person: Robb Friedlander
Email: Send Email
Phone: 718-218-4823
Address:3751 Motor Ave P.O. 34425
City: Los Angeles
State: CA 90034
Country: United States
Website: www.swipehunger.org