Historic MOU Signed by San Bernardino County, CSUSB, and SBCCD to Combat 66% Food Insecurity Among College Students

In a landmark move to combat food insecurity among college students, leaders from San Bernardino County have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at expanding access to CalFresh benefits for potentially over 181,000 college students. The agreement was officially signed on Friday, April 12, 2024, at the County Government Center.

The partnership involves the County of San Bernardino, California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), and the San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD). A recent survey conducted by the California Student Aid Commission highlighted that a shocking 66% of students experienced food insecurity during the 2022-2023 academic year, a significant rise from 39% in the 2018-2019 period.

Dr. Tomas Morales, President of CSUSB, addressed the critical issue of student hunger affecting learning and their families. “Hungry students cannot learn, they just cannot. Hungry students come from hungry families. This is not just about our students, this is about their families too,” Morales said. He further noted, “As an anchor institution here in the Inland Empire, we serve the needs of our community so that we can help build its growth and sustainability.”

Angel Rodriguez, Associate Vice Chancellor of SBCCD, highlighted the broader scope of food insecurity, “In San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, over 181,000 college students might go hungry without CalFresh. Across California, that number is 750,000. Today, this shows how committed we are to changing those statistics for the better.”

The initiative is not only expected to alleviate immediate hunger but also to enhance the educational outcomes and future employment prospects of students. Data shows that 51% of students at CSUSB come from the SBCCD, emphasizing the potential impact of this collaboration.

Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. shared a personal anecdote to illustrate the significance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). His father, Congressman Baca, was instrumental in renaming the federal food assistance program to SNAP from its former stigmatized label.

“This partnership here is not about a handout; it’s about a hand up. It’s about putting our kids and families in a better position to create generational wealth, so they can become more educated and garner better jobs; it’s about putting people in a better place and overall quality of life,” Baca emphasized.

SBCCD Chancellor Diana Rodriguez underscored the importance of streamlined access between educational programs and county services, stating, “Last year, when we discussed what we would like to see and happen in regards to connecting our programs with county programs so that there is just one form for students to fill out, Supervisor Baca, I remember your response was, ‘Well, why don’t we already do this?’ That is why we are here today, so thank you for helping move this initiative forward.”

This historic agreement marks a significant step towards addressing the urgent issue of student food insecurity exacerbated by the current economic climate, ensuring college students can focus on their education, not hunger.