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Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, research showed that food insecurity was a serious problem on college campuses across the nation, especially among students of color, lower-income students, and students at community colleges. The already too-high rates and harmful consequences of food insecurity have only been exacerbated during the pandemic as college students face disruptions to their learning and employment due to campus closures and the economic downturn. According to a Hope Center survey conducted last spring, about one-third of college students who were employed lost their jobs due to the pandemic. 

COVID-19 and the unexpected switch to remote learning have negatively impacted college students’ academic performance, mental health, and food security. Even before the pandemic, food insecurity was widespread across the most well-resourced campuses.
Food insecurity has historically and disproportionately affected students of color, older students, former foster youth, parenting students, students who experienced childhood food insecurity, and first-generation college students.

During the holidays and all year long, millions of individuals and families who struggle against hunger are able to access healthy food with support from the federal nutrition programs. To celebrate the nation’s nutrition safety net, FRAC is releasing a seven-part “Remember This December” series that will highlight the impact of seven important federal nutrition programs. This year, the federal nutrition programs have played a critical role in ensuring people can continue to put food on the table during the twin COVID-19 public health and economic crises.

This is the seventh installment of the series, which focuses on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

More than 700,000 Pennsylvanians who were left out of extra SNAP “emergency  allotments” when USDA denied Pennsylvania’s request for authority to issue them to all SNAP households may be able to get them pursuant to a federal court order issued on September 11. The case Gilliam v. USDA was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Labor Day traditionally honors America’s workers. It reminds us annually how important jobs, decent pay, and safe working conditions are for our nation. This Labor Day, too many of our fellow Americans are struggling with job loss, cutbacks in hours, and food hardship. Over 10.6 million more Americans were unemployed in July 2020 than in February 2020. Hardship is particularly acute among Black- and Latinx-headed households.