Food Insecurity: What it is and How to Get (or Give) Support!
Campus:
Food Insecurity:
What it is and How to Get (or Give) Support!
What is Food Insecurity?
A lack of consistent physical, social, or economic access to nutritious food. It ranges from reduced food quality or variety to severe deprivation and malnutrition.
Who is Impacted?
Anyone can experience food insecurity. Contributing factors include high living costs, location, unstable employment, and health challenges. It’s an intersectional issue affecting communities worldwide.
How to Support People Experiencing Food Insecurity
Avoid stigmatizing language; reduce shame around seeking help.
Educate yourself and others about food insecurity.
Volunteer at food banks or donate (cash preferred; non-perishables also welcome).
Practice reducing food waste.
Education Discounts & Affordable Food Options
General Tip: Many local eateries offer unadvertised 10–15% student discounts—always ask and be prepared to show your student/faculty/staff ID.
Specific examples:
Just Salad offers in-store discounts and has a rewards app.
Chipotle: Offers student deals through its Chipotle U Rewards program.
Sweetgreen: Offers periodic student promotions, though they can vary by location.
Chick-fil-A: Some locations may offer a free drink with a student ID, so it's worth checking with the specific store.
Meal kit and delivery services/ Apps
DoorDash: Offers a Student DashPass plan for $4.99/month.
Blue Apron: Students can get a discount by verifying through ID.me.
HelloFresh and EveryPlate: Both offer discounts through UNiDAYS.
Home Chef: Offers a discount to students who verify through Student Beans.
Too Good To Go: low-cost food rescue app, where local cafes, bakeries, grocery stores sell unsold food at the end of the day with a steep discount.
Where to go if you need support in LA:
NYFA Food & Hygiene Pantry: Two locations - 4th Floor (Riverside) & 5th Floor (Barham), maintained by Student Life (studentlife.la@nyfa.edu)
Community Resources
Burbank Temporary Aid Center (BTAC): Tue, Wed, Thurs 9:00AM to 12:00PM
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank - food banks linked by location
Additional Resources can be found here: Food Support Resource Guide for LA
To learn more about Food Insecurity & resources check out Feeding America