Swipe Out Hunger Awards $15,000 in Basic Needs Recognition Grants

March 8, 2023 – The leading national nonprofit working to end college student food insecurity, Swipe Out Hunger announced today that 5 colleges will each receive $3,000 grants in recognition of their outstanding work to support students’ basic needs.

After distributing a total of $90,000 in Swipe Grants to 30 campus pantry partners in fall 2022, Swipe Out Hunger is excited to continue recognizing campuses who go above and beyond to meet students’ basic needs. As the current economic climate and the loss of pandemic-related emergency relief programs continue to pose challenges around food, housing, and other essential costs, these grants will support campuses to reach even more students.

“The volume of requests has multiplied several times over since the inception of our grocery store gift card program, so we are grateful for any additional funding we can utilize to help keep our students fed,” said Faren Leader, Affordability Resources Coordinator at Linn-Benton Community College. “As pandemic-related SNAP emergency allotments have ended in February, and some tougher requirements for student SNAP eligibility return later this year, we are continually working to expand our ability to increase food security for our students — whether that’s help applying for SNAP, accessing food banks in the community, and other resources for various basic needs.”

Campuses will use their grants to bolster their already impressive basic needs work, including expanding services and programs to increase access for more students and providing more diverse food offerings to align with students’ cultural and dietary needs.

“The Basic Needs Recognition Grant from Swipe Out Hunger will give us the opportunity to keep sourcing culturally responsive and nutritious products from producers in our Southwest region that reflect the diverse preferences of our students, especially at a time that SNAP benefits are being reduced nationwide,” said Stella Zhu, Basic Needs Coordinator at Fort Lewis College. “Food assistance for us is also about choice, dignity, and leveraging the power of our local food system, and that choice is often guided by students’ own health and cultural needs.”

“This award comes at a time when we are expanding our pantry as well as our meal swipe program, SOS,” said Annie Ciaraldi, Associate Dean of Student Affairs for Compliance & Violence Prevention at University of Massachusetts Lowell. “The grant means an increase in the variety and amounts ethnic food our clients have requested. In addition, we will use part of this grant to increase the number of students who use the SOS program to eat in the dining halls.”

 “The grant will enable the pantry to continue operating and improve its essential service to students in need,” said Devon Carey, TRIO Program Coordinator at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime and we are very thankful for this opportunity at Cheyney University.”

Basic Needs Recognition Grant recipients include:

• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
• Fort Lewis College
• Linn-Benton Community College
• SUNY Schenectady County Community College
• University of Massachusetts Lowell

Swipe Out Hunger will begin its next grant cycle in Fall 2023. To be the first to know about the upcoming cycle of grants and other funding opportunities, sign up for Swipe Out Hunger’s newsletter.


About Swipe Out Hunger
Swipe Out Hunger is the leading national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger. Swipe Out Hunger collaborates with colleges and universities to promote on-campus solutions, policy and advocacy, and community building practices to address students impacted by food insecurity. Since 2010, Swipe Out Hunger has served 4.8 million meals across more than 550 campuses in all 50 states and Canada. For more information, visit swipehunger.org.

Media Contact:
Janelle Raymundo
Director of Communications
Swipe Out Hunger
[email protected]