Even before the COVID-19 pandemic made basic needs a top priority, the Center for Healthy Communities (CHC) at Chico State, was working to feed the most vulnerable low-income students and residents across the state by connecting them with federal food aid. Since 2006, CHC has received several large contracts to promote the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as CalFresh, to low-income college students and community members. One of the key priorities of this CalFresh Outreach (CFO) contract is to assist eligible college students and their households to apply for CalFresh and successfully receive benefits to buy food.
Although Chico State’s CHC holds the prime CFO contract, the center subcontracts with campuses across the state including campuses within the CSU, University of California (UC) and California Community (CCC) systems. In fact, CHC increased its reach from 10 campuses in 2014 to include more than 40 campuses as of 2020. In addition, CHC partners with basic needs directors in the CSU and CCC offices of the chancellor and committee chair leaders in the UC Office of the President to ensure collaboration, communication and outreach within and among all three higher education systems.
This contract expansion was remarkable considering the degree of effort and coordination it takes to work and contract with different program and fiscal coordinators, sponsored programs, campus leaders and systems. Despite these administrative barriers, CHC has identified critical phases of growth among the subcontracting campuses to ensure that they meet or exceed program goals by the end of the three-year contract cycle. Meeting these contract goals will result in millions of dollars in food aid for disadvantaged college students, helping them offset other bills, work less and, hopefully, learn more.
Additional funds from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the CSU Office of the Chancellor (via SB-85 and AB-74) support the creation of a CalFresh Outreach handbook aimed at a college audience, a Basic Needs Training and Resource Center and research dollars to support the critical impact of this work on student success.
Campus Community Connection
CHC also has a longstanding partnership with five community-based organizations in the far north primarily serving low-income older adults and/or people living with disabilities. With transportation a common barrier for this population, CHC’s outreach has been most successful by going to the residents (e.g., apartment complexes, assisted-living facilities, etc.) and by providing one-onone assistance with the GetCalFresh.org application assistance tool. Through partnerships with local organizations, CHC has helped support the acquisition of broadband services and improve technological literacy among these populations.
In addition, CHC is working to reduce the stigma of receiving CalFresh Food benefits by dispelling myths and using appropriate messaging to encourage high-need residents to apply. For example, many older residents mistakenly believe they will be taking benefits from children if they apply, despite the fact that these federal dollars are for all who are income eligible, without limits, and despite the fact that California has one of the lowest CalFresh participation rates in the country.
Another unique aspect of this contract is the work being done to connect colleges with rural partners. For example, the Siskiyou County Office of Education is working with Shasta Community College to help with the submission of CalFresh Food applications. Of the applications submitted by this subcontractor, 55 percent were from college students. As a result CHC will continue to build relationships between community colleges and community organizations to increase the CalFresh Food benefits among the college population.
CalFresh Supporting Student Success
One of the most promising and exciting aspects of the CFO contract is a pilot study exploring how CalFresh affected student success. Preliminary findings indicate that these CalFresh Food benefits do in fact help students offset bills, allow students to work less outside the classroom, attend class and office hours more regularly, and provide needed nutrition for better learning and classroom comprehension and overall health. This validated research tool will be shared statewide to track the impact of CalFresh on short- and long-term student success in support of the CSU Basic Needs and Graduation 2025 initiatives.
In the aftermath of COVID-19 and the likelihood of even more students losing jobs or experiencing unstable housing, mental health challenges and other obstacles to getting their basic needs met, this CalFresh work is more critical than ever.