Mia Vesely | I use SNAP benefits. Many other college students do too

I am an Ivy League student and a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — commonly referred to as SNAP — recipient, and I am not alone. Over 1.1 million college students receive SNAP benefits nationwide. More broadly, SNAP benefits are used by over 41 million Americans a month. Over 22 million households rely on these funds to provide food for their families — with over 86% of these households containing children, the elderly, or people with disabilities.

But this month, many payments did not go through. The recordlong government shutdown halted SNAP benefits, resulting in incredibly tangible impacts on Americans. At this time, the Supreme Court has instructed that benefits be funded in full nationwide, but orders from the White House have advised states to continue withholding benefits — and even “undo” funding that has already been sent to recipients.  

This is inhumane, and the government must do what it can to allow SNAP benefits to be distributed. Racist notions surrounding who receives benefits, including caricatures of Black women abusing welfare programs — commonly dubbed “welfare queens” — are going viral on social media, with many people taking these decades-old stereotypes as fact. In reality, the majority of SNAP recipients are white, and benefits are not widely misused. I am a full-time college student from a low-income family, and I rely on these benefits to buy groceries — as do many of my close friends.​

SNAP benefits are proven to help pull people out of poverty, provide food for children, and have been an essential part of our country’s welfare system for over 60 years. This month, stories of mothers going without food to make sure their kids can eat are cycling through the news as food banks across the country are struggling to keep up with increasing demand. Food insecurity is a nationwide problem that does not skip over college students.​

Students face unique problems like tuition bills, balancing work and class, and rising inflation that does not correlate with rising wages. Ivy League students are not exempt from these realities. Since moving off the dining plan my junior year, one of the first things I did was apply for SNAP. In order to qualify as a college student in the state of Pennsylvania, you must not be on a meal plan and meet all other income requirements. In my case, I qualify for the maximum work-study amount, receive the maximum Pell Grant, and hold an on-campus job, so getting approved and proving need was fairly straightforward.​

If you are a Penn student facing food insecurity in lieu of SNAP payments, please utilize resources offered by the University — including redeeming meal swipes provided to students affected by SNAP benefit cuts. As always, I encourage Penn students to support one another during these times. Receiving government assistance does not define your worth. In fact, it can be an important stepping stone to achieving one’s goals.​

MIA VESELY is a College senior from Phoenix studying philosophy, politics, and economics. Her email is mvesely@sas.upenn.edu.