Imagine sitting in class while your stomach aches from hunger. This is the reality for too many students at Fresno City College.
Food insecurity (the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food) is a crisis both nationwide and here in Fresno. The city ranks as the fourth most food-insecure metropolitan area in the United States, with nearly 25% of residents unable to consistently put food on the table. More than 11,000 children in America face hunger every day, according to the Food Research and Action Center.
College students face this challenge amid rising costs. Between 2020 and 2023, grocery prices surged nearly 24%. Although inflation has slowed this year, food costs remain higher than last year. After paying tuition, rent and transportation, many students cannot afford healthy meals…