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This is a space where communication students studying convergence journalism (COMM 3555) and social responsibility (COMM 3030) share reports and reflections about issues related to food, nutrition, hunger, and social justice at the University of Utah and throughout the Salt Lake community. We hope you check back often for new updates and share your feedback by leaving us a comment!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

University students and food stamp use


Universities Change Demographics of Food Stamp Use
Manager at the campus farmer's market hands out tokens in exchange for food stamps to be used at the market.
The farmer’s market on campus at the University of Utah now accepts food stamps in exchange for tokens to be used to buy fresh produce sold at the market by local farmers.  Here a market manager hands out food stamp tokens. 
By Lindsey Wilbur

According to data issued by the USDA last December, 38 percent of eligible Americans do not take advantage of food stamp assistance. 

In recent years, research has been done to show that college students are among those who do not utilize food assistance available to them.   

The guidelines for food stamp qualification make it apparent that low-income families are the program’s primary beneficiaries. Determinants for food stamp allotment such as number of dependent children, indicate that the audience targeted for the nutritional aid is comprised of families. 

Further, federal data of Americans’ food stamp usage measures participants in terms of households rather than individuals; an indication that assistance is primarily being provided to families. 

“Half of all food stamp users are children,” said Alyssa Geisler, Utahns Against Hunger volunteer.  “We’ve worked with some students, but the majority of people we help with food stamps are families with kids or seniors.”

However, this demographic may be changing, and the University of Utah is among schools that are facilitating the shift. 

In the past few years, universities across the country have been making efforts to educate students about the food stamp program, and how to apply for assistance.  The University of Utah now stands among these schools.

“We really want to be working on our outreach promoting the resources available,” said Jen Colbe, Campus Sustainability Coordinator at the University of Utah.

Among efforts made at the university to facilitate student use of food stamps, is the Office of Sustainability’s work to get the campus farmer’s market approved to accept food stamps from customers. 

Further, two sections of the course, Communication and Social Responsibility, are being taught at the University of Utah this semester, which incorporate food stamp awareness into their curriculum. 

Students from these classes will be participating in the food stamp challenge in November, a competition that challenges students to live on the budget that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides for its recipients.  Additionally, the university campus has been an area of advertising for the food stamp challenge as a way to encourage other students to participate and become aware of the difficulty food stamp recipients face to incorporate nutritious food into their diets.

Transitioning from a primarily family-focused government aid program to one that is used by all those in need of it however, has not happened immediately.

Farmers selling their produce at the campus farmer’s market said that while they have gained a steady clientele of regulars who use food stamps, few of them are students. 

Jensen Farms owner, Ron Jensen said that only a small number of his food stamp using customers are students. 

Jensen supports the food stamp program and said that food stamp users appreciate the ability “...to get fresh, nutritional fruit for their money... A lot of (food stamp users) will even come down (to the market) when the weather is crummy,” Jensen said. 

While Jensen sees the positive aspect of the SNAP program, many Americans have a negative view of food stamps. 

In 2010 when University of Oregon student Anna Crist, celebrated the approval of her food stamp application on Facebook, she was met by numerous comments from fellow students; many of whom disagreed with her participation in the program.

“I think it depends on the criteria,” said Danielle Tindugan, senior nursing student at the University of Utah in regards to student food stamp use.  “I think if people are on food stamps they should really be in need,” Tindugan said. 

However other students disagree with Tindugan's stance and recognize a need for nutritional assistance among college students. 

“If students are taking classes full time, they really can’t get a job,” said Malcolm Zachariah, freshmen biological chemistry major.  “People have assumptions about those who apply for food stamps… I think the people who are upset have a preconceived notion about food stamp assistance being a burden,” Zachariah said. 

The USDA promotes the program on its website as temporary and supplemental assistance to enable people earning a low-income to maintain a healthy diet despite their small budget, and while the criteria for students to be approved for the program is more strict than for non-students, college students do comply with the USDA’s idea of providing temporary assistance in a time of financial insecurity.

The low budget many college students must live on is a result of the amount of time they devote to earning a degree said Zachariah.  Indeed, earning a college degree grants students the ability to make a sufficient living for themselves upon graduation, meaning that assistance to a college student is likely to end upon graduation.    

University of Utah is continuing to advocate for student use of food stamps even though students remain an atypical demographic for the program. 

In November, the students of the University of Utah’s Communication and Social Responsibility courses will be hosting a Social Soup event designed to increase student awareness of food stamp use, which will continue to shape the evolving perceptions of this government program. 

For information on the SNAP policy and application criteria visit these sites:

Utah Department of Administrative Services:

Utahns Against Hunger:

US Department of Agriculture:

2 comments:

  1. This is a great article and topic regarding food justice. I honestly hadn't thought about the vastly unrepresented demographic of college students not using food stamp assistance. I think the most intriguing point that was brought up here was the stigma surrounding food stamps, held by both outside observers and actual or potential users of foods stamps. Perhaps it would give your article more of personal and relatable touch if you delved further into specific individual’s beliefs, the nursing student you quoted for example. College students in need of financial assistance with food can come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and thusly may have varying opinions and presumptions about what it means to be using foods stamps. Addressing this issue may help to disassemble negative beliefs regarding the program –on both sides –and increase participation. The only other thing I could add would be in regards to your format. Sentences within a continuous thought were spaced apart and therefore the entire article gravitated towards being a list of facts and comments, rather than a cohesive presentation. Other than that, it was an informative and interesting article to read.

    -Alasdair Waddell, COMM 3030 Student

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  2. This was a very informative article. I happen to be of the opinion that college students should be allowed to be on food stamps for the exact reasons stated above. Many students are taking out loans just to pay the rising costs of tuition and don't even take into consideration the cost of a healthy diet. Well done in getting the word out!

    Paul C

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