By: Taylor Gantt & Mallory Dewhurst (American Marketing Association)
Everyone has heard of the saying, “broke college student”, and many say it as a joke. However, college expenses continue to rise, and college students nationwide are dealing with the reality of balancing classes, full-or-part time jobs, internships, extracurriculars, and more in order to succeed. This amount of responsibility, however, leaves college students wondering; “Where is my next meal coming from?” and “Do I have any money to spend on food today?”
The phrase “broke college student” is not something to laugh about, especially when considering the health and wellbeing of students who are unable to afford basic necessities, such as food.
In this blog post, the American Marketing Association at UNC Charlotte will explore different resources that college students can utilize if they are dealing with food insecurity. We will also showcase a recipe book written by AMA members with ideas for easy, affordable recipes.
What Is Food Insecurity?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Unfortunately, many students lack the resources for reliable food sources.
Food scarcity and insecurity is rising amongst college students, and in fact, one in three college students experience food insecurity. It is something that needs to be addressed. The article, “College Student Hunger Statistics and Research”, from Feeding America states;
“College students are entering school later than students in the past: the average age at first enrollment is 21, and the overall average age of students is 26. As such, many college students are balancing schoolwork with parenting, with 22% of students caring for child dependents and 14% doing so as single parents. Overall, the share of college students with low household incomes has increased, and when these factors are combined with the rising cost of education, many students are struggling to make ends meet.”
This is difficult to think about, because when students are unable to take care of their needs financially, food is often the last priority, thus resulting in food scarcity and insecurity. Research and surveys today show that certain students are affected more than others; “one of the survey’s most troubling findings is that students of color- especially Black students, Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian students, and Indigenous students- are being disproportionately affected.”(Dedman)
Why is food insecurity so high among college students?
- Poverty, unemployment/under-employment, and inconsistent access to healthy food.
- Students who can not rely on the help of family members.
- Tuition and college expenses continue to rise, leaving little wiggle room.
Because the rate of food insecurity among college students is on the rise, the AMA chapter at UNC Charlotte composed an easy, affordable recipe book that includes meals that are low ingredient, low cost, and accessible to make.
Easy, Affordable Recipe Book
Breakfast- Avocado Egg Fried Bagel
Lunch- Sweet Potato Quinoa
Dinner- Chicken Pesto Pasta
Dessert- No Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Snack- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola Bites
Resources at UNC Charlotte and the Community
For a full list of book banks in Charlotte, visit this article by
CLTURE
Contact the Student Assistance and Support Services (SASS) center on campus by calling 704-687-0289 or by sending an email to studentsupport@uncc.edu. You can also visit the
website here.
Food insecurity affects many college students, and the American Marketing Association at UNC Charlotte hopes to bring awareness to food insecurity among college students by providing a recipe book with easy, affordable recipes and by hosting a food drive on campus. Bins will be set up on the 1st floor of Friday from Monday, November 15th until Friday, November 19th-- please donate if you are able!
If you are struggling with food insecurity, know that you are not alone. Utilize campus resources and resources in the community.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment