A feast of opportunity

Kim Vuong recalls the relief she felt after getting approved to receive benefits for CalFresh - the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - and the excitement of her first grocery trip.

"I went to H Mart, and it felt like such a splurge," says the 19-year-old business administration student, who would eat fast food before receiving her EBT card due to convenience and budget constraints. "I was like, 'I'm not going to eat processed food anymore. I get to eat real food.'"

Many college students face food insecurity, yet a large number remain unaware of the resources available to help them.

At UC Irvine, the Basic Needs Center, in partnership with the Orange County Social Services Agency, is working to change that by hosting CalFresh Enrollment Parties, where students can learn about the program, receive one-on-one assistance and apply on the spot.

The second-year student was among those who didn't know much about CalFresh before attending one of the events.

"I had heard about CalFresh, but it never felt accessible or easy to apply," she says. "The Basic Needs Center made it so simple. They really support you throughout the entire process."

The campus recently hosted its 41^st event, boasting a 96 percent approval rate since the beginning of the calendar year for student applicants - a remarkable achievement compared to the roughly 45 percent approval rate for college students statewide. This innovative collaboration is now serving as the foundation for an initiative encouraging other California colleges and universities from 10 counties to replicate UC Irvine's model.

"We're always looking for opportunities that are going to benefit our students. CalFresh allows us to help students have additional dollars so that they can have a better basic needs experience on campus and one less stressor as they navigate college," says Andrea Mora, director of the UCI Basic Needs Center. Steve Zylius / UC Irvine

"Seeing so many students gain access to CalFresh benefits through our enrollment parties has been incredibly rewarding," says Andrea Mora, director of the UCI Basic Needs Center. "The impact goes beyond numbers - it's about ensuring that every student has the resources they need to focus on their education without worrying about where their next meal will come from."

According to Mora, 43 percent of the students on campus have been identified as confronting food insecurity through the UC undergraduate experience survey. To boost student CalFresh participation, the center has increased the capacity of enrollment events from 60 students to as many as 120, with plans to expand further.

"We have this additional component where not only can students apply and interview on site, but the county brings its mobile response vehicle with an [electronic benefit transfer] card printer - so the students are actually walking away with their EBT card printed and their benefits loaded already," Mora said.

An individual student can qualify for up to $298 in monthly benefits.

"The students go through the entire process in an hour and a half, when it usually takes up to 30 days," Mora said.

Since becoming an official community-based organization in 2021, UC Irvine has worked closely with the SSA to simplify the enrollment process. In doing so, they create a welcoming, stigma-free environment for students.

The success of these efforts has led to increasing demand, with "supersized" enrollment events, such as those for Nov. 13 and 20 at the UC Irvine Student Center - timed to align with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and the holiday season.

The UCI Basic Needs Center has supported 6,289 student interactions with CalFresh since the start of 2024 and aims to reach 10,000 eligible students.

"We're always looking for opportunities that are going to benefit our students," Mora says. "CalFresh allows us to help students have additional dollars so that they can have a better basic needs experience on campus and one less stressor as they navagate college."