How HBCU Students Can Access Enough Food

Black students attending public HBCUs are facing alarming rates of food insecurity. Here’s how they can be successful.We all need food. It shouldn’t matter what your background is; everyone should have access to affordable, high-quality food. But, in the country we live in, that’s not always the case. Students at historically black colleges and universities are reportedly facing higher rates of food insecurity than students at predominantly white institutions. Nationally, 23% of college students experienced food insecurity in 2020. However, 46% of students attending private and public HBCU campuses reported food insecurity in 2020, according to the #RealCollegeHBCU report by the Hope Center.A national survey of more than 1,500 college students between 1999 to 2003, with a follow-up from 2015 to 2017, found that food-insecure college students have 42% lower odds of graduating. And food insecurity among college students contributes to poor mental health, physical health, and a lower grade point average.Why this matters: Black students face more socioeconomic barriers to higher education than their white peers, including higher rates of campus housing insecurity and the elimination of affirmative action in college admissions. Being unable to afford food is yet another hurdle to a college diploma. While policy changes are...