College Students Turn to Food Banks

While reading the paper today, I came across a highly disturbing article that I thought everyone should read.

With food prices soaring to unbelievable levels, its not hard to imagine that the college students who are already struggling are in even more need this year than ever. I just never imagined in my lifetime that people in America could go hungry. I know it sounds naive, but I thought hunger was such a thing of the past in this country that the only people not eating were the ones who chose it like a lifestyle (read, Paris Hilton & Kate Moss).

I am disturbed by this article, and I hope you are too.

Deirdre Wilson, a junior at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., applied for food stamps in November because her paycheck from a work-study job didn’t stretch far enough to cover her expanding grocery bill.

“Before, when I lived in the dorms, I was on the meal plan,” the 20-year-old said. “Now that I’m in the apartment, I have to pay for food, and I have to pay my cell phone bill. I don’t make enough to pay for both.”

Where are we as a society when we let our students go hungry? Education is the silver bullet for success! With a college education, a person is less likely to go bankrupt, less likely to go to jail, and on average contributes more to society than any other demographic. We need to make sure our students get the care they deserve.