This month, Just a Bite host, Sarah Kuhns, sits down with Joy Kostansek and Representative Sean P. Brennan to discuss how to end college hunger in the state of Ohio. As students return to campus this fall, food insecurity and hunger also return to college campuses. College students continuously face high tuition costs, and accumulating student debt, in addition to schedules loaded with heavy course work and on/off campus employment. Far too many college students are struggling to meet their basic needs as they study and learn, with concerning consequences. Joy Kostansek, the Associate Director in the Dean of Students office at the University of Cincinnati (UC), shares more about her work to support UC students in accessing their critical basic needs. State Representative Sean P. Brennan of Ohio’s 14th House District, joins us to discuss not only his passion for addressing food insecurity in our communities, but also his introduction of House Bill 590 to the Ohio General Assembly. Take a listen to this inspiring episode and learn how to fight hunger on college campuses as we enter the 2024-2025 school year.  

References:  

Learn more from our guests, and follow on social media!  

• Bearcats Pantry and Resource Center, University of Cincinnati 

• Instagram: @bearcatspantry , BCP Pantry and Resource Center 

• Representative Sean P. Brennan Bio, Ohio House of Representatives 

• Facebook: @brennanforohio 

• X: @BrennanforOhio 

• Analysis of House Bill 590, The Ohio Legislature 135th General Assembly, Hunger Free Campus Grant Program 

• Enact the Hunger-Free Campus Act, The Ohio Legislature 135th General Assembly 

Research, basic needs on college campuses: 

• Basic Needs Insecurity During the Ongoing Pandemic, The Hope Center (2021) 

• Food Insecurity During College Years Linked to Lower Gradutaion Rate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2021) 


• Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance Benefits, U.S. Government Accountability Office (2018) 

Take Action! Visit the Ohio Association of Foodbanks Hunger Free Campus Action Center to get involved! 

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Ohio Association of Foodbanks is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization without party affiliation or bias. We are Ohio’s largest charitable response to hunger and our mission is to assist Ohio’s 12 Feeding America foodbanks in providing food and other resources to people in need and to pursue areas of common interest for the benefit of people in need.