The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) has awarded $1.2 million in grants to 36 institutions across the state under the Hunger-Free Campus Act. This funding is designed to bolster campus resources, including food pantries, and enhance outreach to connect students with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The new awards mark the grant program’s widest reach since its 2019 creation, providing funding to 90% of all public colleges and universities and 57% of eligible independent public-mission institutions. In total, the state has invested $6.4 million over the last six years to address student hunger.
State leaders emphasized that the grants are crucial for student well-being and academic success, particularly as data reveals persistent food insecurity among New Jersey’s student population.
Gov. Phil Murphy stated, “These grants reflect our unwavering commitment to making higher education more affordable and accessible for every student. Addressing food insecurity is essential to student well-being and academic success.”
Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges highlighted the connection between access and support.
“As we have created more opportunities for residents to pursue life-changing degrees and credentials, many students still face real barriers to completing college, including food insecurity. That’s why strengthening our student support infrastructure from the state level remains essential,” Bridges said.
Findings from OSHE’s Spring 2025 Student Food Security Survey, which polled over 11,800 students, underscored the scope of the problem:
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36% of all student respondents reported experiencing food insecurity.
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The rate jumped to 50% for first-generation students.
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Among students receiving federal assistance like SNAP, a staggering 65% still reported experiencing food insecurity.
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Nearly half (45%) of students reported difficulty affording balanced meals.
To target resources where they are most needed, OSHE utilized a new equity-focused distribution model for the grants, which heavily weighted each institution’s percentage of Pell Grant-eligible students.
The grant program ensures institutions meet a “Hunger-Free” designation by maintaining a physical campus food pantry, establishing a Campus Hunger Task Force, and running awareness initiatives.
Grant awards for Fiscal Year 2026 were distributed to 36 institutions, including 16 community colleges, 12 public four-year colleges, and 8 independent public-mission institutions. High-award recipients of $52,500.00 included Atlantic Cape Community College, Kean University, Montclair State University, NJIT, Rutgers University-Newark and William Paterson University.
Leaders in the state legislature supported the continued investment. Senate President Nick Scutari said, “Food insecurity can have a damaging impact on students’ health and ability to learn. These grants will help prevent hunger on college campuses so that our students can focus on classroom learning.”
Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin added that the grants ensure colleges “have adequately stocked food pantries on campus to help students who are trying to balance the cost of a higher education with basic life necessities.”
| Institution | Award Amount |
| Atlantic Cape Community College | $52,500.00 |
| Bergen Community College | $27,500.00 |
| Brookdale Community College | $17,500.00 |
| Camden County College | $27,500.00 |
| Centenary University | $27,500.00 |
| County College of Morris | $17,500.00 |
| Drew University | $17,500.00 |
| Essex County College | $52,500.00 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | $17,500.00 |
| Felician University | $52,500.00 |
| Georgian Court University | $27,500.00 |
| Hudson County Community College | $52,500.00 |
| Kean University | $52,500.00 |
| Mercer County Community College | $27,500.00 |
| Middlesex College | $27,500.00 |
| Monmouth University | $27,500.00 |
| Montclair State University | $52,500.00 |
| New Jersey City University | $52,500.00 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | $52,500.00 |
| Ocean County College | $17,500.00 |
| Ramapo College | $17,500.00 |
| Raritan Valley Community College | $27,500.00 |
| Rowan College at Burlington County | $27,500.00 |
| Rowan College of South Jersey | $27,500.00 |
| Rowan University | $27,500.00 |
| Rutgers University, Camden | $52,500.00 |
| Rutgers University, New Brunswick | $17,496.00 |
| Rutgers University, Newark | $52,500.00 |
| Saint Peters University | $52,500.00 |
| Salem Community College | $27,500.00 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | $17,500.00 |
| Stockton University | $27,500.00 |
| Sussex County Community College | $27,500.00 |
| The College of New Jersey | $17,500.00 |
| Union College of Union County, New Jersey | $27,500.00 |
| William Paterson University | $52,504.00 |
| Total | $1,200,000.00 |
