Kutztown University Awarded 2025 PA Hunger-Free Campus Grant

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the third year, Kutztown University has been awarded the Hunger-Free Campus grant to address food insecurity in students. The Hunger-Free grant awards $60,000 to aid in expanding access to food options, creating awareness initiatives and upgrading facilities.

More than one-third of students know someone who dropped out of college due to food insecurity during the pandemic. Roughly 52% of students who faced food or housing insecurity in 2020 did not apply for support because they did not know how. Colleges and universities across the country are taking steps to address these issues so students can focus on their education instead of where to find their next meal.

Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady, Lori Shapiro, fully endorse the PA Hunger-Free Campus Initiative, which began in 2022. In 2025, the work continues to build a coalition of colleges and universities focused on addressing hunger and other basic needs for their students; creating opportunities for connection among student hunger advocates; providing resources and strategies for campuses; and supporting opportunities to apply for grants related to addressing food insecurity.

At KU, the Bear Essentials Pantry, the on-campus food pantry, located in the McFarland Student Union and run by the Office of Student Involvement, provides non-perishable food items to students in need. The university also has a partnership with Friend, Inc., a local non-profit agency serving Northeastern Berks County, which provides a satellite food pantry adjacent to campus and critical support services to students in need.

The university is proactive in giving students information regarding food insecurity and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Through the partnership with Friend, Inc., the university provides students with assistance in completing the SNAP application. Additionally, KU maintains two student programs for the provision of help related to their basic needs. The Student Assistance Program offers students information, guidance and referrals in the areas that may impact students’ academic and personal success. The second program, the KU Care team, includes university administrators and staff and connects students who face financial emergencies, such as the inability to pay for housing or basic necessities to funding and other resources.

KU has participated in the Real College Survey and the NSSE Survey to have avenues by which the university can learn about their students’ needs in fundamental areas of well-being.

For more information on food security, SNAP and the student pantry, please visit their website or contact the Office of Student Involvement at 610-683-1383 or involvement@kutztown.edu.