Tuition or Food?

Tue, 21 May 2019 15:58:14 -0400

A new Temple University survey found that thousands of college students today can’t afford basic needs like food and housing, and some even end up homeless.

Check out this feature from the NBC Today Show showcasing different faces and experiences of college student food insecurity, and just how much every bit of help truly matters.

Nationwide, a majority of students who face food insecurity are employed. They are not only working hard in classes, but also spending 20-40 hours a week working to afford their rent, with not much left for routine grocery shopping. To quote from the video: "It's sounds to me like students are coming here (to this food pantry) because they are working their butts off and this is their last hope...It's not an issue of personal responsibility."

It's no longer unusual that you go to a college campus and find a quasi- homeless shelter or food pantry supporting the campus community. Retriever Essentials aims to provide students, faculty, and staff with nonperishable food items to ease the burden of purchasing healthy staples each week. Our belief is that with less stress on how to make ends meet, students are able to focus better on their coursework and reach their fullest academic potential.