Food Security Initiatives

Marist College recognizes there may be some students in the College community struggling with adequate access to food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Therefore, the College is taking a proactive approach to addressing student food insecurity/access and you can assist in this endeavor.    

  • Donated meal swipes. The Swipe It Forward program allows Marist students enrolled in a Marist College dining plan to donate one or more meals from their plan to support other students struggling with food insecurity/access. To donate a meal, you should email nadia.castell@sodexo.com. The subject line should read "Swipe it Forward," and you should include your name, CWID, and number of swipes you're donating in the body of the email. Meals donated are loaded onto a dining plan card and provided to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs for distribution to students. Students will not be able to use the card via Grubhub, but instead will need to check in at the Murray Student Center Dining Hall North Entrance and show and swipe their "Swipe It Forward" card with the cashier there. Students will order from a paper menu, and the order will be prepared and handed back to the student.
For students who may be in need of some assistance, the following program is in place: 
  • Short-term supplemental meal passes. The Division of Student Affairs, in cooperation with Marist Dining Services, provides emergency meal passes for students in need. Across campus, faculty and administrators who become aware of a student in need of food can forward the name of that student to Taylor Milliken, administrative coordinator for the Office of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, who in turn will arrange to have a staff member meet with the student discreetly. The goal of the program is to provide a confidential and efficient way for a student who may be having difficulty finding their next meal receive the help they deserve.
In addition, when the College closes for breaks throughout the academic year, the following resources are available:
  • Students residing in traditional residence facilities without kitchens are provided access to a designated campus retail dining location and are able to use their dining plan Thrifty Cash for purchases. Campus retail hours of service are posted for students via their MyMarist e-mail.
  • Students remaining during breaks on-campus in townhouse residence facilities with kitchens are able to cook on their own. 
  • The College provides transportation for students who do not have their own vehicle to food shop at a nearby supermarket for extended breaks such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  • First year residence facilities which have a small common kitchen are stocked with basic non-perishable food items through the Office of Housing and Residential Life. 
  • There are a number of local deli and convenience stores located within walking distance of the campus.