NJ Awards $1.2 Million to Fight Food Insecurity on College Campuses

New Jersey awarded $1.2 million in grants to 36 institutions of higher education to combat food insecurity on their campuses. The grants will support campus-based resources, including food pantries and outreach connecting students with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The grants were awarded through the Hunger-Free Campus Act. Through the program, institutions achieve a Hunger-Free designation and work to address student hunger through a Campus Hunger Task Force, a physical campus food pantry, and awareness raising initiatives, the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education said in a press release.

This round of awardees reflects the grant’s widest reach since being created in 2019, with 90% of all public colleges and universities and 57% of eligible independent public-mission institutions receiving funding. In total, the state has invested $6.4 million over the last six years to address food insecurity among college students under the Act.

“These awards are the latest example of New Jersey’s investment in making food security a reality for everyone, everywhere. For college students to get help completing school meal applications for their children or applying for SNAP, being welcomed to use donated meal credits or shop for their households, means alleviating the stress that can derail their studies,” said Mark Dinglasan, executive director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate.

Grant awards for fiscal year 2026 are:

OSHE applied a new equity-focused distribution model that considered each institution’s percentage of eligible students to reach those experiencing the greatest need and to respond following disruptions to those students receiving SNAP benefits. Findings from OSHE’s Spring 2025 Student Food Security Survey of 11,877 students show that half of Pell Grant-receiving respondents were food insecure. The survey also found:

• Food insecurity among college students persists, affecting 36% of all student respondents and 50% of first-generation students.
• Nearly half (45%) of students had difficulty affording balanced meals.
• Even with lifeline federal assistance programs, 65% of students receiving SNAP and other federal assistance (TANF, WIC) reported experiencing food insecurity.

Related:

• Table to Table focused on Community Care at Partners in Good Health Conference
• Food Insecurity on College Campuses
• Table Talk Episode 3 With Dr. Laurel Kearns