Learning to

Thrive:
Providing Food Security to the University
of South Carolina Community
College’s • Approximately 3/4 of
students are nontraditional:
• 59-72% employed

Financial • Attend school part-

time • Greater poverty rate for
Burden • Work full-time
• Financially
those living off campus
independent
• Provide for • Four-year college
dependents tuition went up 217%
• Delayed college over the past 20 years
attendance by more
than 1 year post high
school
• Have a nontraditional
diploma

Demographic and Enrollment Characteristics of Nontraditional Undergraduates: 2011-12 (2015)

Hunger on Campus: The Challenge of Food Insecurity for College Students (2016)
Trends in College Pricing 2017 (2017)
 Food Insecurity on College
Campuses
Community Four-Year
 Food insecurity status Colleges Colleges
Low food security 15-25% 14-27%
Very low food security 25-33% 20-22%
Total food-insecure 42-56% 36-47%

• More prevalent among those who are racially minoritized, non-binary, LGBTQ,
first generation, financially independent, and/or formerly in foster care
• Frequently combined with housing insecurity
• Negative impacts on academicHunger on achievement
Campus: The Challenge of Food Insecurity for College Students (2016)
Hungry and Homeless in College: Results from a National Study of Basic Needs Insecurity in Higher Education (2017)
Still Hungry and Homeless in College (2018)
Food Insecurity at

• South Carolina: 14% struggle with hunger

• Richland County: 18% food-insecure
• USC: 23% of students have skipped meals while 11% did not eat for
entire day because they couldn’t afford a meal

• Less than 5% of USC students eat the recommended amount of fruits

and vegetables.
Food Insecurity at
• On-campus pantry created by students, for students
• Provide food assistance and toiletries for students in
a free and confidential environment
• Brief confidential form to fill out before accessing
pantry
• Serves any current student, faculty, and staff with a
valid CarolinaCard
• Based on point system
• 15 points every week
• Whole Foods Mondays
• Panera Fridays
What Can You Do?
• Learn more about the issue and resources working to combat it