Since 2022, California has been offering free lunches to all students in elementary through high school. But once they reach college, more than two-thirds of students experience food insecurity.
The federally funded CalFresh program feeds some college students, but the complicated application process and eligibility rules prevent many from accessing funds. More than 70% of eligible students don’t receive CalFresh, according to a 2024 California Policy Lab report.
To improve CalFresh outreach and enrollment, California started setting aside annual funds in 2021 for public colleges and universities to establish and operate basic needs centers with food pantries, where students obtain free food staples. The California State University and University of California systems each receive $15 million and California Community Colleges receives $30 million annually. As of 2023, every public higher education campus in the state has a basic needs center and food pantry.
Read more at CalMatters.
