Feed Your Brain and the Food and Culture First-Year Seminar (FYSEM) hosted a space for students to discuss food access in college on Tuesday, Nov. 1 during convo hour in the Kay Fredericks Room. 

As the prices of everything have increased steadily over the past years, students have had more stressors added to their lives. The cost of food and food accessibility has increasingly been a subject of discussion and concern for students at Hamline. 

The entire Food and Culture FYSEM helped in the planning and running of this event in collaboration with Feed Your Brain. This FYSEM filled the responsibilities of running logistics, speaking at the event and facilitating communication between them and Feed Your Brain. 

The event was led by senior and Feed Your Brain student leader Anthony Meng and FYSEM students Jade Tollifson, Alfie Taylor, Shaine Loper, Azari Jackson, Davis Pickett and Max Kesher.

Over a meal provided from Holy Land,students were encouraged to discuss the intersectionality of rising college costs and food insecurity, and event leaders made it clear that the event was a safe space and nothing said there would leave those walls.

Attendees sat at tables with papers to prompt discussion. 

The prompts included questions like what makes food inaccessible, college students’ experience today and how food access impacts the overall college years. Attendees mentioned how different the support from Hamline is for commuter students versus what is available for those who live on campus. 

Both groups, org and FYSEM, know that this is another step towards fighting food insecurity and something of this scale can not be solved in one day. They look forward to more events with the Hamline community in the future. 

The Food Resource Center (FRC) is in West Hall 110 and is available to all Hamline students, staff and faculty. They have microwavable meals and a microwave there for anyone to use as well. The FRC  has an online form for visitors to fill out when they pick up food.