Swipe Out Hunger Combats Food Insecurity on Campus
Last month, Roadrunners donated meal swipes to students in need through the Swipe Out Hunger campaign raising over 500 meals for students facing food insecurity. UTSA Dining matched all donations made through the GET app for a grand total of 1028 meals.
“This campaign is a great opportunity for meal plan holders to be personally involved in helping their fellow Roadrunners. Food insecurity is an increasingly critical issue on college campuses, and we are excited to be one of the first universities to use the GET app in conjunction with Swipe Out Hunger,” said Kevin Price, senior associate vice president for Campus Services and Housing. “By donating just two meals, students can make a huge difference in meeting the projected need on our campus.”
Swipe Out Hunger is a national nonprofit focused on ending college student hunger. This is the second time UTSA has hosted the campaign, which allows meal plan holders to allocate up to two of their own “meal swipes” to the Whataburger Resource Room’s Meal Share Assistance program. Following the success of the previous two campaigns, UTSA will continue hosting Swipe Out Hunger annually each October.
Gavin Moon, resident district manager for UTSA Dining and Aramark, is pleased by the campaign’s progress since it launched at UTSA in February 2021. “The campaign began in the midst of the pandemic,” said Moon. “From the start, many departments have worked diligently to build awareness surrounding the issue of food insecurity. As a campus, we surround the cause with immense support and respect, and we are excited to see the positive impact of our efforts.”
Food insecurity, meaning the lack of reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food, is a widespread problem on college and university campuses, especially during these challenging times. Since the beginning of the pandemic, nearly one-third of college students nationally have missed a meal at least once per week, while roughly half of student parents have experienced food insecurity at some point.
At UTSA, students in need of meal assistance can request donated meals through the Meal Share Assistance program. Each semester, students can receive up to 15 meals for use in the Roadrunner Café. Programs like Swipe Out Hunger help ensure meals are available. Additionally, UTSA Dining and Campus Services donate 1500 meals each academic year towards the Meal Share Program.
“The Whataburger Resource Room is thrilled to continue our partnership with Campus Services and UTSA Dining,” said Nikki Lee, senior associate director of events management at the Student Union. “The meals donated by our partners, as well as those received through Swipe Out Hunger, are key to ensuring we can help students in need throughout the year.”
Faculty, staff and students can continue to support the fight against hunger by donating directly to the Whataburger Resource Room. Food, supplies and monetary donations are accepted at any time. Volunteer opportunities are also available for anyone interested in helping stock shelves, sort food, and other tasks.
Learn more about Swipe Out Hunger and how to get involved throughout the year.
