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National data show that over one in five students experience food insecurity, with a majority citing ‘very low food security.’ The US Department of Agriculture defines very low food security as eating less than a person needs or skipping meals altogether, otherwise referred to food insecurity. Worrying about their next meal, how to pay for it, and whether it’s nutritious adds further mental stress to the many adult students that are already balancing a course load with familial obligations and work. While SNAP is a critical tool designed to address this problem, eligibility for the program is not well aligned with postsecondary enrollment. To qualify for SNAP, students must go through additional eligibility rules, otherwise known as student exemptions, making the process more confusing and cumbersome compared to non-student SNAP applicants. The US Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) reported that 59% of eligible students did not receive SNAP benefits in 2020.
One of the ways that a student is allowed to become eligible for SNAP is by participating in an allowable state or local program, equivalent to SNAP Employment and Training (E&T). Which activities and programs qualify a student to meet this exemption varies by state because the federal government requires each state to submit their own plan to administer SNAP benefits and improve access to food. What states build into these plans, especially in determining what qualifies as an E&T program, can have a significant effect on students’ access to food benefits they qualify for.
This case study documents an example of a strong coalition effort undertaken to better address food insecurity among college students and provides a critical example of how local and state organizations can work to address basic needs insecurity at the state level. As the federal government scales back essential programs and funding, state action is crucial to respond to students’ needs and continue to move forward educational and workforce development goals.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository and Illinois’ Response to Student Food Insecurity
The Greater Chicago Food Depository has been working to address food insecurity in Cook County, Illinois since its’ inception in 1979. Over one million families in Illinois use SNAP for nutrition assistance, yet the Food Depository has been aware of significant access gaps among low-income students facing persistent food insecurity. To try to close this gap they partnered with the nonprofit Young Invincibles to assess how the state can better define what qualifies as an allowable work activity under SNAP E&T.
This work resulted in a coordinated legislative effort with two companion bills introduced in the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year, both aimed at providing a commonsense solution to the problem. Senate Bill (SB) 1298 (State Senator Graciela Guzman) and House Bill (HB) 2750 (State Representative Hernandez), would have expanded the definition of E&T to apply to all educational programs in public colleges and universities across the state. Implementing this change would provide multiple dividends for Illinois, including bringing in an additional $149,783 in annual federal benefits to an estimated 90,782 low-income students at public two and four-year institutions; benefits these students are otherwise eligible for based on additional program eligibility criteria. This population includes parenting students and adult learners, who experience higher rates of food insecurity, 29% and 27% respectively.
The Food Depository mobilized support for this change from a range of local and state organizations, including City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Jobs Council, Illinois Public Health Institute, and TICAS. As both bills moved forward, the Senate made changes to expand E&T to a narrower set of public programs, with a requirement that they serve mostly low-income students. While narrower in scope than the original bill language, if passed, the legislation would have still improved access to SNAP for college students and improved SNAP accessibility.
The Senate Bill was featured in a hearing in May, and the Food Depository brought a diverse set of partners and students to emphasize the need to address food insecurity. Students shared personal stories about how they have been affected by hunger and how the bill would alleviate the challenges they face in getting enough nutritious food to eat.
From left to right: Rodolfo De Jesus (Senior Manager of Government Affairs, The Greater Chicago Food Depository), Dr. Katonja Webb-Walker (President Kennedy King College), student advocate Keila Gonzalez, State Representative and House Bill Sponsor Barbara Hernandez (D-50), and Skyler Larrimore (Senior Director of Community Advocacy and Government Affairs, The Greater Chicago Food Depository)
“Testifying and advocating for those who are struggling in my classes was a surreal experience for me. Not only did it highlight this need for college students, but it also showed how essential it is for us students to have a meal to focus in class. This is the land of opportunity, so why starve the future generations that are chasing an education to better themselves? It is important for me to advocate to give hope to those around me, especially with all the changes happening.”
–Keila Gonzalez, student advocate
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