34 Institutions Receive Awards Totaling $1.2 Million For Fiscal Year 2025 Grant Cycle
Brookdale Community College Receives $56,000

 
The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) announced the award of $1.2 million in Hunger-Free Campus Act grants to 34 institutions of higher education across the state. Program applications increased by 150 percent this cycle amid OSHE estimates from a spring 2024 survey suggesting more than one in three New Jersey students lack consistent access to adequate food resources. This year’s competitive grant cycle reflects the urgent need to provide resources for students facing food insecurity statewide.

“The Hunger-Free Campus grants reflect New Jersey’s continued commitment to supporting students and fighting hunger,” said Governer Phil Murphy. “We want every college student to have the support they need to reach their full potential, and addressing food insecurity is essential to achieving that goal. I am proud of New Jersey’s leadership in creating a model that serves our diverse campuses and builds on the foundation laid by New Jersey’s Hunger-Free Campus Act.”

“Food insecurity is a reality for far too many students all across New Jersey and it is an issue that, with the help of state leaders like Speaker Coughlin, the Murphy Administration has been determined to address,” said Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges. “We know college students facing food insecurity are significantly less likely to graduate than their food-secure peers. By ensuring the availability of resources for students attending our state’s institutions, we are working to that hunger is never a barrier to their success.”

To maximize the impact and reach of available funding, OSHE employed an equity-focused distribution model to support all 34 institutions that met the Hunger-Free Campus designation requirements under the Hunger-Free Campus Act (P.L. 2019, C.89). Funding was awarded across three tiers, taking into account each institution’s efforts to address student hunger, implement sustainable solutions, raise awareness of available resources, and connect students with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), among other initiatives.

“The modern-day student experience looks very different than in the past. While pursing educational opportunities that can change the trajectory of their lives, students are balancing jobs, supporting families or simply facing precarious circumstances that can force them to make difficult decisions between paying for food, rent, tuition and other needs,” said Mark Dinglasan, Executive Director of the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate. “These awards and colleges and universities in holistic food security work because it strengthens the campus community and surrounding communities and puts stability and economic liberation within reach.”

The Hunger-Free Campus grants reaffirm New Jersey’s unwavering commitment to making college more affordable, empowering student success, and creating safe, supportive, and inclusive campus communities across the state. Grant awards for Fy2025 are as follows:

 

Institution Total Award
Atlantic Cape Community College $    37,500.00
Bergen Community College $    37,000.00
Brookdale Community College $    56,000.00
Camden County College $    37,000.00
Centenary University $    37,500.00
County College of Morris $    28,000.00
Essex County College $    56,250.00
Fairleigh Dickinson University $    37,000.00
Felician University $    10,000.00
Georgian Court University $    22,000.00
Hudson County Community College $    56,250.00
Kean University $    75,000.00
Mercer County Community College $    56,000.00
Middlesex College $    71,500.00
Montclair State University $    75,000.00
New Jersey City University $    37,000.00
New Jersey Institute of Technology $    44,000.00
Ocean County College $    37,000.00
Ramapo College of New Jersey $    14,500.00
Raritan Valley Community College $    15,000.00
Rowan College at Burlington County $    15,000.00
Rowan College of South Jersey $    56,250.00
Rowan University $    15,000.00
Rutgers University – Camden $    10,000.00
Rutgers University – New Brunswick $    15,000.00
Rutgers University – Newark $    37,000.00
Saint Peters University $    10,000.00
Salem Community College $    10,000.00
Stevens Institute of Technology $    25,000.00
Stockton University $    15,000.00
Sussex County Community College $    10,000.00
The College Of New Jersey $    37,000.00
Union College Of Union County, NJ $    56,250.00
William Paterson University $    56,250.00
Total $    1,200,000.00

 

“Food insecurity is a quiet crisis that afflicts alarming number of people – including college students,” said Senate President Nick Scutari. “When students struggle to put food on the table it affects their health and undermines their ability to learn. These grants will help prevent hunger on college campuses so that they can focus on classroom learning and make the most of their education.”

“When we passed the Hunger-Free Campus Act, we made a commitment to addressing food insecurity across our college campuses,” said Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, a champion in the fight against food insecurity in New Jersey. “Today’s announcement continues that commitment by helping more institutions provide students with the resources they need to learn and thrive. No student should have to choose between education and essential needs like food. We have seen how these grants have made difference for students across our state, enabling them to focus on their studies and achieve their academic goals.”

“New Jersey has been a national leader in tackling food insecurity, exemplified by the Hunger-Free Campus Act of 2019. While the pandemic widened discussions on how to address hunger in schools, we acted early, knowing that one in three college students faces uncertainty about where their next meal will come from,” said Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz. “This funding will help provide comprehensive support on college campuses – such as meal credit-sharing programs, assistance with SNAP enrollment, and campus food pantries – and is one of the most valuable investments we can make in the health and well=being of our future leaders, enabling them to earn their degrees without additional barriers and reach their highest potential.”

“When we decided to address hunger on college campuses, the decision was simple – because hunger should never stand in the way of education. We worked tirelessly in the Legislature to find solutions that meet students’ immediate needs, ensuring they can access this support without the stigma associated with food insecurity,” said Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly. “These FY25 awards will help so many of our New Jersey students by creating a supportive environment for students facing hunger. Our students need to focus on their education, and the Hunger-Free Campus Act Grant allows them to do just that.”