Swiping Out Hunger on Campus

Skipping meals. Working second jobs. Taking “poverty naps” to stave off hunger pangs. Dropping out of college altogether. More than one-third of U.S. college students employ drastic measures like these to cope with food insecurity. Battling hunger requires a united front. As one of the world’s leading providers of campus food services, Sodexo plays a crucial role in this fight. Our partnership with Swipe Out Hunger, a national nonprofit committed to ending hunger on college campuses, is key in this effort. Aligned to combat food insecurity, together we’ve improved the lives of thousands of students nationwide. 

How it Works

The Meal Swipe program helps students facing pervasive or short-term food insecurity by providing access to free, nutritious meals on campus. It’s a simple concept with effective results. Students with surplus meals can donate swipes from their meal plans to a “swipe bank.” Donated swipes are then distributed to student ID cards in blocks of 5 to 15 meals. Allocations are made anonymously, so students who apply for help can swipe for meals at dining halls without experiencing the stigma associated with food insecurity.  

Sodexo’s Innovation

Sodexo is pushing the program even further: for every campus meal plan purchased, we donate two meal swipes to the bank. So, regardless of student donations, there is always a substantial number of meal swipes to allocate to anyone, at any time in the semester. Sodexo is the only provider offering this level of broad commitment. We have a longstanding partnership with Swipe Out Hunger, working closely together to fine tune and build this robust program. And we actively promote the program to the campuses we serve.  

What’s Next

Since the successful pilot in 2020, the Meal Swipe bank program has launched to 80-plus campuses, with the goal of reaching 100! Last year alone, we banked well over 100,000 meals, feeding thousands of students. (Any unredeemed meals remain in the bank for students to access, as needed.) The program is expected to grow, as more campuses are showing interest.  

Kate Shearer, Director of Sustainability and CSR for Sodexo Campus, says:

It’s a unique solution to address student food insecurity. This approach provides a much-needed safety net without the stigma students often fear.

Food insecurity is going to look different for every student and occur at different points in a student’s journey. At times, students may need a safety net and this program is one of the ways we can catch them before they drop out.

In this season of giving, please consider donating to Sodexo’s not-for-profit Stop Hunger Foundation, which benefitted 4.9 million Americans in 2022.

Learn more about how we’re fighting hunger and malnutrition in our A Better Tomorrow 2022 Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Report.