Beginning Nov. 27, St. Joe’s meal plan holders will have the ability to donate one of their leftover meal swipes each semester to fellow students in need thanks to a remarkable initiative led primarily by students.

We applaud those who have worked tirelessly over these past few years to turn this goal into a reality, beginning with Kim Allen-Stuck, Ph.D., assistant vice president of Student Success and Educational Support, and ending with the efforts of Kevin Hoban ’24, co-president of HawkHUB, who made it his mission to make the program a reality before graduating.

We also appreciate Aramark’s willingness to support the program, and the University Student Senators like Chloe Palm-Rittle ’26 who endorsed the effort in the spirit of true collaboration to help fellow Hawks.

The reality is, there is a significant and widespread problem of food insecurity among college students. A federal report published in August 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found 12% of graduate students and 23% of undergraduate students nationwide are food insecure. This means that over 4 million students experience food insecurity.

This includes the St. Joe’s community. Having this program in place is a positive step for students who are in need, as their basic needs regarding food insecurities are met with dignity and respect.

We need more initiatives like this one that are in tandem with the Jesuit principle of cura personalis, or “care for the whole person,” more collaborations and more students unwilling to give up on good ideas.