Public Universities

As seniors in high school head off to college there's something people need to shed some light on – food insecurity on campus. It's not exactly the most glamorous topic, but trust me, it's something we can't afford to ignore. Especially how people with food allergies navigate food insecurity. Let’s look at two public universities, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the University of Texas at Austin. U-M is in a college town and UT is in a large city.

Did you know that over 30% of students at the University of Michigan struggle with food insecurity in some way? Yeah, that's a pretty large number, considering we're all here to focus on our studies and prepare for our futures.

But it's not just about feeling a little hungry now and then. Food insecurity can have serious consequences for our health and well-being. In fact, at U-M, the majority of employees who screened positive for food insecurity reported moderate to high health risks. That's not something to brush off lightly.

Now, you might be wondering how did people get to this point. I mean, there's more than enough food in the world to go around, right? Well, technically, yes. We produce enough food to feed 1.5 times the global population. But here's the catch – it's not about a lack of food; it's about how that food is distributed and accessed.

Thankfully, there are programs in place to help students who are struggling to put food on the table. For example, the Maize and Blue Cupboard Program. This initiative at the University of Michigan ensures that every member of the campus community has access to healthy, nutritious food, regardless of their financial situation. On the website, it provides different recipes to make with the food they provide and you can filter the options by, “Dairy free, Gluten free, Vegan, and Vegetarian”. Also for dining they have a gluten free pantry for students where there is no cross contamination. The University of Michigan does a terrific job managing food allergies!

Now let’s focus on the University of Texas at Austin where nearly half of students have experienced some form of food insecurity. With initiatives like the Food Insecurity Action Team and the UT Outpost, they're working very hard to provide students with the resources they need to succeed like food, hygiene kits, and a career closet for interviews. The school has received $14,200 in grant money to provide access to accessible foods. A survey revealed that most food insecure students don’t even go to the UT Outpost food pantry! We need to change that! For people with food allergies, when they arrive to the food pantry someone will write down all their allergies and pick out the food for them.

At public universities, despite being in a college town or big city, there are a ton of food insecure students. It is very important that the school provide accessible food options for food insecure students. And it is equally important to keep raising awareness about this issue. It is important to not let our voices be silenced. Make sure to keep advocating for people who don’t know how to advocate for themselves.

There is always more a university and students can do. It is very important to speak up for people who can’t. Remember, never silence your voice. Advocate, advocate, advocate!!!