During the federal shutdown, many Penn State students who rely on SNAP and state grants have struggled to afford groceries and turned to university resources for help.
Leanne Lenz, senior associate director for the Student Care and Advocacy office at Penn State, said they’ve seen many more students than usual.
“Those students who are normally getting SNAP benefits every month to pay for groceries aren’t getting them,” Lenz said. “So we’re trying to do what we can to help those students in the meantime, to have food resources that they need.”
Penn State’s Student Care and Advocacy office has been connecting affected students to several food support options, including the Lion’s Pantry, the Basic Needs Hub and smaller food pantries across campus.
In addition to these pantries, Student Care and Advocacy offers a Basic Needs Case Management Program to help students connect with a case manager to mitigate challenges.
That case management includes access to emergency dining dollars funded through the Swipe Out Hunger initiative, which allows students to donate unused meal funds to peers in need.
“We can issue dining dollars to both on- and off-campus students,” Lenz said. “It’s a great resource we’ve been using a lot recently for those impacted by the suspension of SNAP benefits.”
Lenz said any student can reach out for help, even if they’re unsure whether they qualify for financial support.
“Anyone is eligible to get support from our office,” Lenz said. “We’re happy to sit down and talk with them and connect them with any resources that might be helpful.”
Students who have sought help, she added, have been “really grateful” and often surprised by the level of support available.
As the holiday season approaches, Lenz encouraged students with extra meal funds to participate in the upcoming Swipe Out Hunger drive.
“Those donations are really important right now,” she said. “They go directly toward helping students who need meals.”
Lenz said the State College Food Bank continues to assist where possible, but it’s also facing high demand from other community members affected by the shutdown.