Abstract
According to recent surveys, nearly half of University of California (UC) undergraduate students have experienced food insecurity. Research suggests that food insecurity, a social and economic condition in which individuals have limited access to food, has detrimental effects on student health and academic performance. Few studies have examined university efforts to address food insecurity. At the University of California, Irvine, the FRESH Basic Needs Hub promotes equitable access to supplemental food for more than 33,000 students through a student pantry, food stamp (SNAP) application assistance, educational workshops, and other services. This mixed-methods study will analyze FRESH user survey data and open-ended feedback, in order to: 1) examine relationships between food insecurity, food stamp eligibility, expected pantry use, and types of residence, and 2) identify students’ perceived program benefits and potential areas of improvement. These findings can assist FRESH in enhancing services while providing general recommendations for basic needs initiatives and policies at other large institutions.
Presenters
Vivianna GohStudent, Social Ecology/PhD Student, University of California, Irvine, California, United States Teresa Dalton
Associate Professor, Criminology, Law and Society, University of California, Irvine, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Food Insecurity, Basic Needs, Education, Food Justice, Health, Nutrition Education
