fbpx

Inside the Student-Led Anti-Hunger Movement in Florida

This blog is written by David Garner, a sophomore at Florida State University from Gainesville, Florida. Studying Political Science and International Affairs as a member of the FSU Honors Program, David has found a passion for helping people in need. With an interest in law and politics, he is looking to attend law school after graduating from FSU with a focus in international law. When David isn’t advocating for his fellow students, he loves to cook and makes a really good lasagna!

The stereotypical college lifestyle of having no money, studying all day, drinking and eating nothing but ramen and orange juice, has become so normalized in society that people often overlook the serious damage that food insecurity causes. One in three college students experience food insecurity, according to a study conducted by Chegg.org, the Born This Way Foundation, and Swipe Out Hunger. This statistic is a reality to thousands of students in the state of Florida and is only getting worse as food prices climb. 

No student should have to choose between buying study materials for class and their next meal. No student should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. No student should have to rely on unhealthy food alternatives. That’s where my team and I come in. I am the External Affairs chair for Florida State University PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), a nonprofit, non-partisan organization focused on fighting student issues on campus. We are proud to be one of the many organizations leading the fight against hunger on college campuses and the anti-hunger movement in Florida, alongside Swipe Out Hunger.

This school year, our team and I have been gathering student testimonials from all across Florida, raising awareness of the prevalence of food insecurity on college campuses, and providing the necessary resources to people experiencing food insecurity. By providing resources and helping students know that they are not alone in their struggle against food insecurity, they become emboldened to share their experiences and become more outspoken on the issue. Making students’ voices heard is so important because we can make genuine change when we all come together to speak out on an issue. 

Our team uses our unity and numbers as a strategy to show support and bring momentum to the anti-hunger movement in Florida. A great example of this in action is the Rally in Tally event, where FSU PIRG worked with the Florida Student Association (FSA) to host a lobby day at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee this past January. The FSA is a board of the Student Body Presidents from 12 major public colleges and universities in Florida. On January 26, more than 80 students from FSU PIRG and FSA came up to the Florida Capitol to lobby in support of Swipe Out Hunger’s Hunger Free Campus Bill on behalf of the 47,000 Florida college students. We met with elected senators and representatives to express our support for the Hunger Free Campus Bill. We received support for the bill from numerous elected officials at the Rally in Tally event and built tremendous momentum thanks to our efforts.

David and his fellow students at the Rally in Tally event to support the Hunger Free Campus Act.

Our goal at FSU PIRG is to fight food insecurity in all dimensions and in any way we can, so we continue to fight food insecurity in the community as well. As the External Affairs chair, I look for volunteer opportunities at food distribution events in the community. This current school year, our team consistently volunteers for at least one community food distribution event a month where we help give out food to hundreds of people in need.

Our efforts do not stop there! After volunteering at these events, I was inspired to lead the charge on a PIRG-funded food distribution event. FSU PIRG joined efforts with the PIRGs at Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College to bring together all three colleges in Tallahassee and really show a unified front to combat food insecurity on college campuses and the community. This joint event is a city-wide food distribution event open to all college students and residents in the community in need of food. We are currently in the process of raising $3,000 to fund food items, clothing items, sanitizer items, and more to distribute to 300 students and community residents. We are all very excited for this event on March 11 and we can’t wait to make such a huge impact on students’ lives.

Our FSU PIRG team is doing a great job uniting all of Florida in support of the anti-hunger movement with the help of Swipe Out Hunger. As a result, the anti-hunger movement will continue to make strides in Florida — a key state to watch as things start to unfold!

Other Blog Posts

Campus Champions: Recognizing Student Leaders with the Nachman Justice Award

Campus Champions: Recognizing Student Leaders with the Nachman Justice Award

Implementing Innovative Food Security Programs with Everytable

Implementing Innovative Food Security Programs with Everytable

Swipe Out Hunger’s 2024 Year in Review

Swipe Out Hunger’s 2024 Year in Review

Three Ways to Get Involved with Swipe Out Hunger this Fall

Three Ways to Get Involved with Swipe Out Hunger this Fall

Swipe Out Hunger Welcomes New Board Members

Swipe Out Hunger Welcomes New Board Members

Insights from the Trellis 2023 Student Financial Wellness Survey

Insights from the Trellis 2023 Student Financial Wellness Survey

A Student Advocate’s Guide to Sustaining a Movement Through Self-Care

A Student Advocate’s Guide to Sustaining a Movement Through Self-Care

A Student’s Perspective On The Impact of SNAP Incentive Programs

A Student’s Perspective On The Impact of SNAP Incentive Programs

A Day in the Life of A Nursing Student Fighting Hunger in Rural Arkansas

A Day in the Life of A Nursing Student Fighting Hunger in Rural Arkansas

Our Campus Survey: More of Your Questions Answered

Our Campus Survey: More of Your Questions Answered

3 Key Takeaways From Our National Campus Survey

3 Key Takeaways From Our National Campus Survey

Swipe Out Hunger Awards Over $420,000 in Grants to More Than 100 Campus Pantries

Swipe Out Hunger Awards Over $420,000 in Grants to More Than 100 Campus Pantries

4 Things To Know About Leading An Anti-Hunger Movement

4 Things To Know About Leading An Anti-Hunger Movement

Introducing the Inaugural Swipe Out Hunger Student Leadership and Advisory Council (SLAAC)

Introducing the Inaugural Swipe Out Hunger Student Leadership and Advisory Council (SLAAC)

This Giving Tuesday, Give Back to Your Local Campus Food Security Program!

This Giving Tuesday, Give Back to Your Local Campus Food Security Program!

Swipe Out Hunger Partners with The GIANT Company to Award $300,000 in Grants to Fight College Student Hunger

Swipe Out Hunger Partners with The GIANT Company to Award $300,000 in Grants to Fight College Student Hunger

Swipe Out Hunger Launches 2023 Impact Report

Swipe Out Hunger Launches 2023 Impact Report

Supporting Accessible & Healthy Meals for Students with Plug-In Pot™

Supporting Accessible & Healthy Meals for Students with Plug-In Pot™

365 Days at Swipe: Live Q&A with Executive Director Jaime Hansen

365 Days at Swipe: Live Q&A with Executive Director Jaime Hansen

Swipe Out Hunger Announces New Board Members

Swipe Out Hunger Announces New Board Members

Vlog: Swiping Out Hunger in the Twin Cities

Vlog: Swiping Out Hunger in the Twin Cities

Swipe Out Hunger and Ellucian Collaborate for Student Success

Swipe Out Hunger and Ellucian Collaborate for Student Success

A Holistic Approach to Student Health: The Connection Between Mental Health & Basic Needs Insecurity

A Holistic Approach to Student Health: The Connection Between Mental Health & Basic Needs Insecurity

Swipe Out Hunger Launches Inaugural Leadership Council

Swipe Out Hunger Launches Inaugural Leadership Council

Supporting College Students Through  Upcoming Changes to SNAP

Supporting College Students Through  Upcoming Changes to SNAP

Swipe Out Hunger Joins Forces with LG to Provide Healthy Meals for 500,000 College Students, Raise Awareness About Food Insecurity on Campuses

Swipe Out Hunger Joins Forces with LG to Provide Healthy Meals for 500,000 College Students, Raise Awareness About Food Insecurity on Campuses

Cultivating a Mindful and Inclusive Campus Culture: Supporting Students with Diverse Lived Experiences

Cultivating a Mindful and Inclusive Campus Culture: Supporting Students with Diverse Lived Experiences

Swipe Out Hunger Awards $15,000 in Basic Needs Recognition Grants

Swipe Out Hunger Awards $15,000 in Basic Needs Recognition Grants

Q&A with Jaime Hansen, Our Executive Director

Q&A with Jaime Hansen, Our Executive Director

Swipe Out Hunger Announces Board Leadership Transitions

Swipe Out Hunger Announces Board Leadership Transitions

How Campuses Are Ensuring Students Don’t Go Hungry This Break: Takeaways from our November Swipe Session

How Campuses Are Ensuring Students Don’t Go Hungry This Break: Takeaways from our November Swipe Session

Choose Your Own #GivingTuesday Adventure: Pick From 30+ Campuses To Donate To Today!

Choose Your Own #GivingTuesday Adventure: Pick From 30+ Campuses To Donate To Today!

Swipe Out Hunger Announces the 2022 Nachman Justice Award Recipients

Swipe Out Hunger Announces the 2022 Nachman Justice Award Recipients

Swipe Out Hunger Awards $3,000 Grants to Thirty Campus Pantries

Swipe Out Hunger Awards $3,000 Grants to Thirty Campus Pantries

An Update from Our Founder

An Update from Our Founder

Swipe Out Hunger Announces New Executive Director Jaime Hansen

Swipe Out Hunger Announces New Executive Director Jaime Hansen

Building a Movement: Pennsylvania Students Advocate for Food Security

Building a Movement: Pennsylvania Students Advocate for Food Security

Celebrating the Success of Former Foster Youth

Celebrating the Success of Former Foster Youth

College Campus Food Pantries: Learnings from a 2021 Survey

College Campus Food Pantries: Learnings from a 2021 Survey

5 Things To Know About The Campus Pantry and College Hunger Landscape

5 Things To Know About The Campus Pantry and College Hunger Landscape

Swipe Out Hunger and TOP The Organic Project Partner to Support College Students

Swipe Out Hunger and TOP The Organic Project Partner to Support College Students

2022 – 2024 Strategic Plan

2022 – 2024 Strategic Plan

Swipe Out Hunger Announces Microgrants to 17 Campus Pantries

Swipe Out Hunger Announces Microgrants to 17 Campus Pantries

Win a Case of Tampons for Your Campus Pantry!

Win a Case of Tampons for Your Campus Pantry!

Chobani and Swipe Out Hunger Partner to Help College Students Experiencing Food Insecurity on 23 Campuses

Chobani and Swipe Out Hunger Partner to Help College Students Experiencing Food Insecurity on 23 Campuses

Swipe Out Hunger Acquires the College and University Food Bank Alliance

Swipe Out Hunger Acquires the College and University Food Bank Alliance

Transact Partners with Swipe Out Hunger to Address College Student Food Insecurity

Transact Partners with Swipe Out Hunger to Address College Student Food Insecurity

“Structural change is hard, but doable” | Reflections from our 2019 Student Leadership Summit

“Structural change is hard, but doable” | Reflections from our 2019 Student Leadership Summit

Comments

Comments for this post are closed