New federal effort to improve students’ SNAP access

This month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced they are partnering to increase awareness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) among college students who may be eligible for the program but are falling through the cracks. To qualify for SNAP—which helps eligible low-income households pay for food—students must meet the program’s income and other requirements and at least one of the eligibility conditions, which include working at least 20 hours per week, being a single parent, or having a disability. An estimated 67% of the 3.3 million college students potentially eligible for SNAP reported not receiving benefits, according to a June Government Accountability Office report. 

“We’re committed to making SNAP more accessible and easier to understand for low-income college students,” USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Cindy Long said in the announcement. “Many of today’s college students are balancing jobs and family responsibilities. Access to SNAP ensures that eligible students can focus on their education, mental health, and overall well-being, rather than making difficult choices between groceries, textbooks, or other essentials.”

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Outreach to food-insecure students

Through their partnership, FNS and FSA will work with colleges and universities to improve communication to campus communities. Students will receive emails about their potential eligibility, basic information about SNAP rules for students, and guidance about the application process. FNS and FSA also plan to launch pilot projects in up to 10 states aimed at improving data sharing between SNAP agencies and higher education institutions to reach out to SNAP-eligible students, and offer technical support to organizations participating in those efforts. The efforts are supported by recent guidance from the Education Department addressing colleges’ legal privacy concerns around using financial aid data for social services outreach, Inside Higher Ed reports.

“Almost one-quarter of college students experience food insecurity, and too many of these students who qualify for SNAP are not receiving benefits. This joint agreement represents the commitment of the Department of Education and USDA to work together to ensure low-income students receive all the support they need to afford and complete college,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal.

The partnership is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, which aims to end hunger in America and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 so fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases. Advocates say they hope the efforts continue, and grow to ensure reminders about SNAP are embedded in social media posts, FAFSA completion notifications, and student loan emails.

“This is a floor, not a ceiling, when it comes to the agency’s ability to do outreach on public benefits for students,” Bryce McKibben, senior director of policy and advocacy at Temple University’s Hope Center, a student equity research center, tells Inside Higher Ed.