The fight against food insecurity at CU Boulder has secured some help from students themselves.
Students donated 1,966 meal swipes as part of the Division of Student Affairs’ Swipe it Forward donation event, which asked students with meal swipes to spare to ‘pay it forward’ and support their fellow Buffs from Jan. 31-Feb. 2. Students could donate two meals each, and each one will be put to good use.
Those meal swipes will now be available as emergency meal cards to students in need of extra support. The meal cards will give those students free and safe access to food that they may not usually be able to afford, at a time when they need it most.
“It is incredibly meaningful for students to be the ones donating to other students,” said Hannah Wilks, the director of the Basic Needs Center, which organized the event. “It shows that we have a community on campus that is supportive of one another, and willing to give what they can to ensure that hunger is not the reason that their fellow Buffs are not successful.”
Students who donated quadrupled their impact this year compared to last spring by donating more than four-times the amount of meal swipes. That major increase plus another 2,472 swipes that were donated in fall 2022, means a total of 4,438 meal swipes have been donated in the 2022-23 academic year.
Fall 2022
2,472 swipes donated
Spring 2023
1,966 swipes donated
AY 2022-23
4,438 swipes donated
“Meal swipes are an accessible resource that provide a piece of relief to students experiencing food insecurity,” said Basic Needs Center staff member Maddie Atuire. “With these meal swipes, students could bypass common barriers to food access. Further, it allows them to participate in the CU Boulder community and enjoy a meal on campus, surrounded by their peers. This program could not be possible without the donations of CU students, and we appreciate their contribution to an important cause on our campus.”
While Student Affairs has held the three-day Swipe it Forward event since 2019, this was the first year that the division’s Basic Needs Center managed the drive in partnership with Campus Dining Services. The new center serves as a one-stop support service for students seeking assistance for their essential needs.
How to support CU Boulder students facing food insecurity
There are many ways to get involved with the Basic Needs Center. Your support goes directly towards funding and maintaining the center to ensure access for current and future CU Boulder students.
Help students by:
- Serving as a Buff Pantry, mobile food pantry or event outreach volunteer.
- Organizing a food drive.
- Making a donation or contributing items from our Amazon wishlist.
Food security is one of those complex needs, especially with grocery prices on the rise nationwide. While a variety of factors can impact a student’s access to food, some common reasons include financial insecurity, housing insecurity, family obligations or work.
Knowing that food insecurity has the potential to negatively impact a student’s ability to succeed, the Basic Needs Center works to ensure that no matter the circumstances, each CU Boulder student has equitable access to food. The center and the Division of Student Affairs as a whole offers year-round support to ensure that access to food does not impact whether a student can achieve their educational and professional goals.
The Basic Needs Center has a number of campus-based programs in addition to events like Swipe it Forward, including:
- Buff Pantry, which provides shelf-stable, refrigerated and frozen food, fresh produce and personal care items at no cost to students.
- Mobile Food Pantries that are held once a month at various locations around Boulder. CU Boulder students, faculty and staff, as well as community members of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, can receive up to 30 pounds of food at each event.
- Government assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The center also partners with various community food resources in Boulder and Broomfield counties.
Any student that is experiencing food insecurity is also encouraged to reach out to Student Affairs’ Office of Student Support & Case Management. Case managers meet the needs of students and their families by offering holistic support and self-advocacy coaching during distressing circumstances that might impact their educational career.
Anyone—faculty, staff, family, fellow students, or community members and neighbors—can refer a student to Student Support & Case Management or the Basic Needs Center, who also has a case manager that works only on basic needs issues with students.
If you are concerned about a student and want to see them get help, contact a case manager.