San Diego Student Hunger is Increasing

Written by: Maria Khalifa, CalFresh Outreach Coordinator

​Would you believe there is only one off-campus, year-round student food pantry in all of San Diego County? That pantry is located here, at Wesley House. 
 
At Wesley House, staff, volunteers, and donors take great pride in the work being done every day. The food pantry alone provides immediate relief to thousands of students every year, and that effort deserves recognition. But Wesley House offers more than just food; it also helps students access CalFresh, California’s version of SNAP or Food Stamps.
 
CalFresh/SNAP is the number one hunger-fighting program in the United States. In San Diego County, up to 50,000 college students rely on CalFresh every year, yet thousands who qualify still go without support. Many students find the application process convoluted and difficult to navigate. A 2020 study at San Diego State University found that SDSU holds the highest rate of students experiencing hunger, leading at 55%, compared to UCSD at 44%, and community colleges at 40%. The same study further found that 20% of students reported their health as not good, and 48% reported finding their academic issues traumatic or difficult to handle.
 
If students are hungry, stressed, and anxious, the percentage of CalFresh applications significantly declines, leaving potentially hundreds of dollars of food assistance on the table.
 
To complicate matters, recent policy changes that began on April 1, 2026, are already having harmful effects. Many legally present individuals, including asylees, refugees, survivors of violence, and victims of sexual trafficking are losing eligibility.
 
Beginning in June 2026, new work requirements will make access even more difficult, and the application process will be more arduous to complete. Individuals who cannot work a minimum of 80 hours per month will be limited to just three months of benefits every three years. 
 
These changes will heavily impact veterans, people experiencing homelessness, former foster youth, parents, and especially students. Many students cannot consistently work 20 hours per week due to academic schedules, internships, and other responsibilities. As a result, more people will lose benefits, increasing pressure on already-strained food pantries like ours.
 
The consequences could be severe:

• Increased food insecurity,
• Higher risks of homelessness,
• Chronic illness,
• Long-term impacts on education,
• Decreased economic stability.

 
Despite these challenges, Wesley House continues to serve the community by providing nutritious meals, CalFresh support, housing, and advocacy. Student hunger is often overlooked or ignored because people don’t believe it exists. But it does. Every week, hundreds of students come to our pantry because they need it. 
 
The good news is that people are showing up every day to help students succeed and build a better, healthier, and stronger future. In 2025, over 400 community members volunteered their time in our food pantry and we received funding from foundations and corporations like The Jewish Community Foundation and Albertsons to expand our food assistance services.
 
Would you like to be a part of the solution? Be the change these students need. Support student success in San Diego!

Support Our CalFresh Outreach Program

Donate Food Through Amazon