Committee Hears Support for 'Hunger Free Campus' Grants; Lawmakers Seek More Data on Scale and Overlap

At a hearing of the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee, proponents of House Bill 157, the Hunger Free Campus Act, urged lawmakers to establish a competitive grant program to help Ohio colleges set up on‑site food pantries, emergency assistance grants and student resource centers to address student basic‑needs insecurity.

Supporters described a patchwork of local efforts that leave many students without reliable access to food or other supports. "I urge you all to support HB 157, and pass it out of committee," said Sarah of the Ohio Association of Food Banks, who described partnerships between food banks and more than 30 Ohio institutions and said smaller campuses often lack storage, refrigeration or staff to manage pantries. "This bill would incentivize colleges and universities to establish basic needs programs like an on‑site food pantry or an emergency assistance grant program," she…