Peer Navigator Network

swipe_out_hunger
Amount:
$25,000
Year:
2020
Field of Interest:
Program Name:
Peer Navigator Network
Grant Type:
COVID-19 Response
Grant Website
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ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

Founded in 2010 by a group of university students, Swipe Out Hunger is a leading nonprofit addressing hunger among college students. It provides practical and innovative solutions to campus hunger, including its flagship program, where students with extra dining hall meal swipes can donate them to their peers.

GRANT PURPOSE

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, studies found that an estimated 45% of college students across the country had experienced food insecurity in the last 30 days, and that over 700 college campuses had opened food pantries. When colleges and universities shut down their campuses, food-insecure students faced new challenges: they can no longer rely on programs where other students donate extra meal swipes to them, and campus food pantries are closed or operating at limited capacity. To address this issue, Swipe Out Hunger created the Peer Navigator Network. The Network is a national initiative that connects student case managers with students who are hungry. The case managers speak to students and assist them in signing up for benefits, particularly SNAP, so that students have a dependable source of meals. The case managers help to navigate the complicated process of accessing benefits, while destigmatizing the issue. They also speak to students to understand their needs (e.g., mental health or housing concerns) and refer them to specialists who can assist them. 

Thanks to The Foundation's invaluable support, Swipe Out Hunger will be able to advance its student-centric food security efforts on college campuses across the nation. This generous grant will enable Swipe Out Hunger to train students to become case managers, helping thousands of their fellow students access meals, apply for emergency financial assistance, navigate public benefits, and get timely information on programs and services.

Rachel Sumekh
Founder and CEO, Swipe Out Hunger