In Ohio State\u2019s 2024 Student Life survey, student participants were asked to rank two statements on a scale of \u201cnever true,\u201d \u201csometimes true\u201d or \u201coften true.\u201d<\/p>\n

The provided statements were \u201cWithin the past month, I was worried whether my food would run out before I got money to buy more\u201d and \u201cWithin the past month, the food I bought just did not last and I did not have money to get more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those who selected \u201csometimes true\u201d or \u201coften true\u201d for at least one of these prompts were considered as food insecure, Chrisse Edmunds, an associate director of the Center for the Study of Student Life, said in an email.<\/p>\n

After the data was weighted to be more representative of Ohio State\u2019s Columbus campus student population, it was estimated that 32% of Ohio State undergraduate, graduate and professional students are food insecure, Edmunds said.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Lucky's Market, located at 2770 N. High St. in Clintonville, is one place many Ohio State students visit to shop for groceries. Credit: Emma Dawson | Patricia B. Miller Special Projects Reporter<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Krista Bair \u2014 director of fundraising for Buckeye Food Alliance, a food pantry that provides Ohio State students with fresh produce, pantry staples and more \u2014 said not knowing where your next meal will come from can cause long-lasting mental strain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt's something that can follow you into adulthood,\u201d Bair, also a second-year in computer science and engineering, said. \u201cIt doesn't matter how much money you could be making or how much you can plan; you'll always be worried about where your next meal is coming from, and you feel that you need to ration things or save things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hochron said another misconception about food insecurity is that only those who are living at or below the official, state-wide poverty line need assistance from food banks and pantries. This, he said, is completely untrue.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuess what? Being $1 above that poverty level does not actually mean that life is easy and great,\u201d Hochron said. \u201cIn fact, it just means that you are $3 above [being] unable to meet those most basic core needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bair said this feeling of not being \u201cbad enough off\u201d can create a large barrier for people who are considering searching for assistance with food.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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\u201cWe've had a few occasions where people will come into the pantry, and they will apologize or they'll be upset, and they'll be like, \u2018I'm so sorry. I feel like I don't deserve this,\u2019\u201d Bair said. \u201cIf you need help, please ask for it and do not be embarrassed because there's nothing wrong with saying you need an extra hand.\u201d<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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The federal poverty level is $31,200 for a household of four, according to the United States poverty guidelines<\/a><\/span>. In Ohio, food bank access is available to families who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, Hochron said.<\/p>\n

This poverty threshold means that in Ohio, a household of four people that earns $62,400 or less annually is eligible to receive emergency food assistance. The median Ohioan household income is $66,990, according to Census Bureau data from 2018-2022.<\/p>\n

Ariana Mallernee, a third-year in dietetics and community service chair for Ohio State\u2019s Food and Nutrition Forum \u2014 a club that aims to create a supportive community for nutrition students \u2014 said the group recently volunteered at a local food pantry, at which members saw firsthand how prevalent food insecurity is in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing to the food bank this past week was the most eye-opening experience I've had in a long time,\u201d Mallernee said. \u201cWe were surprised by how busy it was. We even had people coming in a minute before we were closing because it was just constantly coming and going.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t $\"(Left$ <\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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(Left to right) Brendon Fitchpatrick, Kyrielle Brose, Ariana Mallernee, Sidney Dosch and Kate Curtiss of the Food and Nutrition Forum volunteer at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective in October 2024. Credit: Emma Dawson | Patricia B. Miller Special Projects Reporter<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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And yet, it is impossible for food pantries to serve everyone. <\/p>\n

Many food pantries have specific requirements their customers must meet in order to shop. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective foodbank, where Ohio State\u2019s Food and Nutrition Forum volunteered, requires clients to self-certify they have a yearly income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. <\/p>\n

Sidney Dosch, a third-year in dietetics and president of Ohio State\u2019s Food and Nutrition Forum, said customers at Mid-Ohio Food Collective must also verify their identity with their name and address. Customers who visit without such verification receive up to two warnings, but are still allowed to shop on these two visits.<\/p>\n

Dosch said one of the most impactful experiences during her time spent volunteering at the pantry involved having to turn away a mother and her baby, as the mother in question did not have the appropriate verification.<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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\u201cBecause of that policy of on the third time, not having that verification, we had to turn her away, and it was gut-wrenching because you know that she might not have a meal before bed tonight,\u201d Dosch said.<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>

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Tips for budget-conscious Buckeyes<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Though food is foundational for human life, it is often one of the first expenses people cut out when faced with budgeting their income.<\/p>\n
\u201cFood is the most variable part of somebody's budget,\u201d Hochron said. \u201cYou can't haggle on how much you're going to pay for gas, but you can choose how much you spend at the grocery store.\u201d<\/p>\n
For students without a meal plan who are looking to make the most of their grocery budget, Champion said one great option is frozen fruits and vegetables, which have the same nutritional value as fresh foods, but last longer and typically cost less.<\/p>\n
Another strategy for saving some cash when going to the grocery store is to get comfortable in the kitchen, Hochron said. Learning how to cut and prepare fruit and vegetables by oneself, along with making bulk meals to freeze, are invaluable lessons for college students that can save them from breaking the bank, he said. <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Shopping carts waiting to be filled with shoppers' groceries at Giant Eagle, a supermarket located at 2801 N. High St. Credit: Emma Dawson | Patricia B. Miller Special Projects Reporter<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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The selection of Campbell's soup at Giant Eagle, a supermarket located at 2801 N. High St. and frequented by Ohio State students. Credit: Emma Dawson | Patricia B. Miller Special Projects Reporter<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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There are also several local resources that can assist students in accessing fresh produce and other nutritious food items.<\/p>\n
The Buckeye Food Alliance\u2019s on-campus food pantry \u2014 located in room 150 of Lincoln Tower \u2014 is open to all Ohio State students with a valid BuckID.<\/p>\n
Bair said students can make an order<\/a><\/span> using their name and dot number, choosing from a selection of food items the pantry has available. Students then show their BuckID, receive their order and are sent on their way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say we serve 45 to 70 students a day,\u201d Bair said. \u201cWe have a good influx of repeat and new students. A lot of times, once students start using the pantry, they continue to use the pantry.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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Though it may seem daunting, there is no shame in asking for help, Bair said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI promise help is out there, and the people helping do it because they want to help you,\u201d Bair said. \u201cThere's no judgment in their hearts. It's truly only love for fellow human beings, so please don't ever feel embarrassed or discouraged to ask for help because help is there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Food insecurity is one of the toughest battles the United States faces, and it has continued to increase since 2014, according to the USDA. Its impact extends beyond simply missing a meal here or there. Food insecurity can fundamentally change the way people live, Hochron said.<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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\u201cI feel like if everyone took the time out of their day, even if it's just a small part, to help another individual, that could change another individual's life,\u201d Bair said. \u201cSometimes people are so caught up in their own world and their own things that maybe if everybody just took a little bit of time to help somebody else, you could change everything.\u201d<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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<\/p>\n
This story was updated at 1:22 p.m. Jan. 16 to correct a misspelling of Krista Bair's last name.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>
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