UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State has received a $60,000 grant to address student hunger through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s “Hunger-Free Campus” initiative.

The Hunger-Free Campus initiative is intended to advance student food security efforts across the state. The University received the title of “Hunger-Free Campus” in the fall semester, after which it was eligible to apply for the $60,000 grant.

The Student Care and Advocacy Office, Students United Against Poverty, and the Lion’s Pantry collaborated on the Hunger-Free Campus applications. These groups will continue working together to ensure that the grant is used to most effectively respond to food insecurity on campus.

To accomplish this, the three groups are launching the Penn State WeCare Anti-Poverty Project.

Student Care and Advocacy Associate Director Leanne Lenz said the goal of the WeCare Anti-Poverty Project is to meet students where their needs are.

“We were really thinking of it from an equity standpoint,” Lenz said. “We want to make sure we’re looking at the students who have the most need and that we match them with resources.”

The project consists of four main initiatives:

• Basic Needs Hub in Student Care and Advocacy — The office, located in Boucke 222, will stock items to ensure that students have access to any item they may need. These will include hats, gloves, sweatshirts, notebooks, pens, feminine products and hygiene supplies.
• Student Care and Advocacy interns — The office will hire student interns to assist with student case management and offer peer-to-peer support to break down barriers for students who are hesitant about asking for help. The interns will help students navigate both Penn State and local resources, as well as apply for federal aid programs.
• Commonwealth Campus Emergency Meal Initiative — Gift cards will be purchased and donated to the Commonwealth Campuses. The Student Affairs offices at each campus will distribute the gift cards to students facing an emergency meal need.
• Expansion of Penn State’s food pantry system — The Lion’s Pantry and its various Cub Pantries will be expanded to provide perishable items and support diverse diets.

“I think the most special part of the grant is the fact that the members of Students United Against Poverty held an active role in writing the content for the grant, producing the project name, allocation amount, and contributing to different components of the initiatives that were a part of the proposed project,” said Najee Rodriguez, executive director of Students United Against Poverty. “The mutual partnership established between administration and students allowed us to play a role in an issue that affected us, which made us feel heard and appreciated.”