NYC Students Lead the Charge Against a Hidden Campus Hunger Crisis

NEW YORK, NY – March 04, 2026 – As thousands of college students across New York City juggle classes, work, and internships, a pervasive and often silent crisis undermines their success: hunger. Now, a new initiative is placing the students most affected at the forefront of the battle for solutions. Food Bank For NYC, the city's largest hunger-relief organization, has launched its pilot Emerging Youth Leaders Advocacy Council (ELAC), a program designed to transform students with lived experience into powerful policy advocates.

The inaugural council brings together five students from across the five boroughs: Aaliyah Bartholomew of Medgar Evers College, Brandy Moonasar of Brooklyn College, Malaika Walter of Pace University, and Akanksha Mahanti and Niav Lorenzo from Parsons School of Design. They are stepping into a fight against a problem of staggering scale, one that has long simmered beneath the surface of university life.

The Scale of Student Hunger

The image of the “starving student” has often been romanticized, but the reality is a grim struggle that jeopardizes academic performance and well-being. National research paints a stark picture, with a 2023-2024 survey from the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice finding that 41% of college students face food insecurity. This rate is more than double that of all U.S. households.

In New York City, the problem is particularly acute within the City University of New York (CUNY) system. A 2022 CUNY survey revealed that 40% of its students—an estimated 110,000 individuals—reported low or very low food security. Earlier data found that nearly half of all CUNY students had experienced food insecurity, with the burden falling disproportionately on Hispanic (48%) and Black (42.3%) students. Studies have consistently linked this insecurity directly to academic struggles, making it a critical issue of equity and student success.

"Access to nutritious food is not a luxury. It is the foundation for health, dignity, and the ability to thrive," said ELAC member Aaliyah Bartholomew, a Biology major at Medgar Evers College. "We are here to make sure student experiences help shape real solutions."

Forging a New Generation of Advocates

Food Bank For NYC’s ELAC program aims to bridge the gap between these sobering statistics and the halls of power where policy is made. The five-month initiative is an intensive immersion into the world of advocacy, combining rigorous training with hands-on experience. Participants will engage in policy coursework, learn community organizing strategies, and complete weekly volunteer shifts at local food pantries, giving them a 360-degree view of the hunger crisis—from legislative frameworks to the front lines of food distribution.

This dual approach is central to the program's design, ensuring that the future advocates understand both systemic levers and community realities. The initiative reflects a strategic shift for Food Bank For NYC, expanding its focus beyond immediate relief to cultivate long-term, sustainable change by investing in human capital.

"This group of leaders brings a deep understanding of food insecurity and the power to rewrite the solutions," said Leslie Gordon, President and CEO at Food Bank For NYC. "ELAC is central to our work to build the next generation of advocates, and we're proud to offer these young adults not just a seat at the table, but the mentorship, guidance, and resources to create impact."

An Ecosystem of Support and Action

ELAC does not operate in a vacuum. It builds upon a growing awareness and an expanding network of support systems on college campuses. Several of the participating students' universities are already actively engaged in combating food insecurity. Pace University, for instance, operates food pantries on its campuses, a Community Fridge program, and an innovative mutual aid system called Fare Trade that allows students to donate dining dollars to peers in need. Similarly, Medgar Evers College runs the Cougar Country Food Pantry and recently partnered with the World Food Movement to provide students with hot, fresh meals.

These campus-level initiatives provide a crucial safety net, but ELAC's mission is to empower students to push for broader, systemic solutions. The program will culminate in May when each member designs and leads their own student-driven advocacy project. These projects are intended to create tangible change, whether by influencing campus policies, raising public awareness, or engaging with city and state-level legislative efforts.

The policy landscape these young advocates are entering is dynamic. They will be able to connect their work to ambitious city-wide plans like Food Forward NYC, the city's 10-year strategy for a more equitable food system. At the state level, ongoing debates around expanding SNAP benefits, strengthening food donation laws, and even a proposed constitutional "Right to Food" offer fertile ground for impactful advocacy. By equipping students with the tools to navigate this complex environment, Food Bank For NYC is not just addressing a symptom of poverty; it is building a pipeline of leaders poised to dismantle its root causes for generations to come.