MU Receives $40K Grant for Student Food Security Efforts from PA Hunger-Free Campus Initiative

Millersville University has received a $40,000 grant to combat student hunger from the Department of Education's PA Hunger-Free Campus Initiative. Grants are awarded to help schools address food insecurity on campus and expand access to food options, create awareness initiatives and upgrade facilities. Millersville has received a grant from the Initiative every year since its creation in 2022.

"Sometimes, hunger is an invisible affliction - an isolating barrier to growth and learning that can, unfortunately, go undetected by peers, educators and mentors," said PA Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. "When college campuses offer assistance to students at risk of hunger, they're helping vulnerable learners feel seen, valued and supported."

Grant recipients like Millersville are members of the Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, a coalition of Pennsylvania institutions of higher education focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students. These institutions may apply for designation that earns them recognition from the PA Department of Education and a spot on the PA Hunger-Free Campus website.

Millersville has earned PA Hunger-Free Campus+ designation, which has helped concentrate the work being done on campus into a cohesive team effort focused on identifying and meeting the basic needs of students, according to Dr. Mary Beth Williams, vice president of student affairs.

"The grant funds have expanded our ability to reach individuals in need and provide resources and support to them, including free meals, food and materials to help lower the cost of groceries," she says. "The designation also allows for further work at the SNAP Station, which is a 'grab-and-go' type food pantry in the Student Memorial Center that provides students access to free food, water/milk and menstrual hygiene products. In addition, it serves as an information hub on SNAP benefits and other ways to reduce hunger among the campus community."

Millersville's PA Hunger-Free Campus designation has also allowed the University to collaborate with community partners and bridge gaps during academic breaks with programming to address basic needs for food and a sense of belonging. "Grant funds have been invaluable in building up resources for students in need of food, both during the semester and during academic break periods," Williams says. "Allocations have supported our collaborative efforts with The Hub, our local partner adjacent to campus that serves free lunch and offers free items in its Campus Cupboard. These meals not only feed students but also connect them with members of the Hunger-Free Campus Task Force, which has grown into a Basic Needs Task Force made up of students, faculty and staff who can assist them in identifying and meeting their basic needs."