Not all four-year college students follow the same path. Some live on campus, some commute. Some get a meal plan, some do not.
And some are hungry. Not for snacks and munchies, but basic, life-sustaining food.
Awareness about food insecurity among college students, and even homelessness in some cases, has been expanding in the past few years. And on Monday, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) will do their part, opening a food pantry for students.
Other colleges and universities have opened similar ones in the past few years. They all operate different, and TCNJ’s will also be open to the local community.
Starting off, it'll be open Mondays and Wednesdays for a few hours each day, offering non-perishable food and drinks. It’s called The Shop @ TCNJ and like others, items are free and no questions asked.
The idea came from students.
"Over the past three years, the TCNJ CARES program has received increased requests from students to provide emergency aid to those struggling to eat consistently or find adequate housing, especially during times when the college is on extended breaks,” according to Beth Gallus, associate dean of students.
TCNJ CARES is the college’s support network, which provides an array of wellness programs, from intellectual and physical, to emotional and social.
Gallus said national data shows 30 to 40 percent of college students have some level of food insecurity.
Moreover, a 2016 study by the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness found 48 percent of students had experienced some type of food insecurity within 30 days of being surveyed, with 22 percent qualifying as "hungry" due to low levels of meal stability.
Students of color and first-generation college students were even more likely to struggle with hunger.
Gallus said it’s another way to keep students focused on education.
"For students, this type of support can decrease the barriers preventing them from peak performance both in and out of the classroom,” she said.
A number of agencies are partnering on the pantry, including the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, TCNJ Campus Police, the Bonner Institute and TCNJ’s student and academic affairs offices.
The Shop @ TCNJ is located in the TCNJ police substation in Campus Town, behind the fitness center in the north side of building 700. Campus police donated a dedicated parking space for the pantry.
It opens Monday Feb. 25, and will be open Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The college said special arrangements can be made if someone needs to use it outside of the regular hours.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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