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Cornell University

Cornell Dining

Swipe Out Hunger

Swipe Out Hunger Logo

Free, confidential access to food and personal care items is available to Cornell undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Cornell staff and faculty at the Cornell Food Pantry, 109 McGraw Place.

How to Donate

You can donate bonus meal swipes each semester by visiting https://mealplan.scl.cornell.edu/soh.  

Cornell Dining helps in the fight against Food Insecurity

Cornell Dining has partnered with Swipe Out Hunger and Cornell's Dean of Students' Office to fight food insecurity on campus. Cornell students have the opportunity to donate bonus meals each semester to a Swipe Out Hunger fund, which will be distributed to their fellow students who are in need. The program is administered by the Office of the Dean of Students through First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support.

Food Insecurity on Campus

Food insecurity is on the rise among college students. A person who is food insecure has at times run out of money to buy food, or they sometimes run out of food before they can get more money. It has been estimated that 1 in 3 college students faces food insecurity. With that in mind, Cornell Dining and the Associate Dean of Students, Director of First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support have partnered with Swipe Out Hunger to assist students who find themselves in such situations.

Swipe Out Hunger

Swipe out Hunger is the leading nonprofit addressing hunger among college students. Founded by a group of friends at UCLA in 2010, it has grown campus by campus into a national movement serving more than 1.8 million nutritious meals to date. SOH has partnerships with more than 110 college and university partners, including Cornell University. 

The Cornell Dining - Swipe Out Hunger Program

Cornell students can donate bonus meals from their current Traditional or House meal plan each semester. Donated bonus meals are collected and placed in a Swipe Out Hunger fund, and Cornell students who meet eligibility requirements will be given access to a Swipe Out Hunger meal plan. Participating students can use the Swipe Out Hunger meal plan in any of Cornell Dining’s Dining Rooms.  

Program Oversight

The Swipe Out Hunger program is administered by the Office of the Dean of Students through First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support. Students experiencing food insecurity should go to the Dean of Students website under First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support and complete the Bonus Meal Distribution Form.

A representative from First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support will follow up with the student regarding their inquiry into the program. All inquiries and use of the program are confidential. 

Swipe Out Hunger Q&A

How can I donate?

You can donate bonus meal swipes by visiting https://mealplan.scl.cornell.edu/soh.  

Why is this program being implemented?

Food insecurity is on the rise among college students. A person who is food insecure at times or frequently runs out of money to buy food, or they run out of food before they can get more money. It has been estimated that 1 in 3 college students faces food insecurity. We wish it wasn’t so, but even here at Cornell, we know that some students are making difficult choices with their dollars. With that in mind, Cornell Dining & the Associate Dean of Students, Director of First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support has partnered with Swipe Out Hunger to assist students who find themselves in this situation.

Who is Swipe Out Hunger?

Swipe Out Hunger is the leading nonprofit organization addressing hunger amongst college students. Founded by a group of friends at UCLA in 2010, it has grown campus by campus into a national movement serving over 1.5 million nutritious meals to date. It has partnerships with 62 universities, including Cornell University.

Which meals can I donate?

Unused Bonus Meals from your current traditional or House meal plan are the only meals that can be donated. 

Why can I only donate Bonus Meals?

Bonus meals are eligible to be donated because they are not designated solely for your individual use.

Why can I donate a limited number of meals per semester?

We continue to review participation and identified need and adjust permitted donations appropriately. Currently, if every plan plan holder donated one bonus meal per semester, that would cover identified need.

How does the Swipe Out Hunger program work?

Cornell students can donate bonus meals from their current traditional or House meal plan each semester. Donated bonus meals are collected and placed in a Swipe Out Hunger fund. Cornell students who meet eligibility requirements will be given access to a Swipe Out Hunger meal plan. Cornell students can use the Swipe Out Hunger meal plan in all of Cornell Dining’s dining room locations.   

How do students request and receive donated meals?

The Swipe Out Hunger program is administered by the Office of the Dean of Students through First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support. Students experiencing food insecurity during the academic year should go to the Dean of Students website (dos.cornell.edu) under First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support and complete the Bonus Meal Distribution Form. Free, confidential access to food and personal care items is available to Cornell undergraduate and graduate students, as well as Cornell staff and faculty, at the Cornell Food Pantry, 109 McGraw Place.

A representative from First-Generation and Low-Income Student Support will follow up with the student regarding their inquiry into the program.  All inquiries are confidential.

How to Donate

You can donate a meal swipe by visiting https://mealplan.scl.cornell.edu/soh.