PLNU’s Swipe Out Hunger Program found that one in three college students struggle with food insecurity. This problem still persists in 2026, as a new long-term study from The New Hope Center for Student Basic Needs found that 43% of college students who faced food insecurity while entering college in 2024 still experienced it two years later. This study also said nearly 70% of students didn’t know about their school’s emergency financial aid options. Spreading awareness about meal support options in PLNU, San Diego and California will chip away at that 70%, until no student is left hungry.
On-Campus Options
Swipe Out Hunger: This program works great for students who love the Caf. In 2022, PLNU joined the nationwide effort to provide financially struggling college students with meal swipes. The program started at UCLA in 2010, and has served over 800,000 students in the 2024-25 school year nationwide. Given the Caf’s wide range of hours, convenient location on campus, and healthy and diverse menu, this option helps struggling students not only eat, but eat well. If interested, students are welcome to fill out the Fall 2026 Swipe Out Hunger Request Form on PLNU’s dining website.
Loma Shares: I loved Loma Shares when I lived in PLNU’s Flex Apartments. Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., I would walk up the hill, pick up my weekly groceries, walk to my apartment to drop them off in the kitchen and run off to classes. Local grocery stores donate free surplus groceries for the PLNU community, supplying milk, eggs, breads, produce, dry goods, canned goods and more. Loma Shares groceries are usually set to expire that week, so signing up for Loma Shares prevents food waste. The program also supplies lunch bags to commuters every few weeks, and once a semester they do a free flower bouquet-making event. Visit the form on their Instagram bio to register or volunteer.
PLNU’s nutritionist: Students at PLNU have access to Wellness Center appointments with Carrie Gunn RDN, IFNCP, PLNU’s dietitian. I’ve personally visited Gunn, and loved her warm, friendly energy. She understood the struggle of eating healthy in college, and planned out some weekly meals with me to help incorporate more protein and fiber into my diet. Gunn has served at PLNU for over 15 years, providing students with personalized nutritional information. She specializes in intuitive eating, disordered eating, and sports nutrition. To make an appointment, email Gunn at cgunn@pointloma.edu.
Local San Diego Options and Beyond
Too Good to Go: A personal favorite of our Ryan Library librarians, this app connects restaurants and students for discounted end-of-the-day meals. What a beautiful exchange: restaurants wasting less food and students paying around $5 for massive sourdough loaves and pizza boxes. The app provides a variety of local restaurant options, including Con Pane and The Mini Donut Company in Liberty Station. I use this app for quick lunch sandwiches, cheap baked goods and large parties — I’ve snagged a dozen fresh donuts for a fourth of the price. Most restaurants will serve “surprise bags” with the leftovers of the day — which are delectable when coming from Park Pizza in Downtown San Diego or Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in Little Italy. Pay the $5 and show up within the restaurant’s time window (usually the next day around closing time) to pick up your order.
CalFresh: CalFresh grants money in food stamps and is popular among commuters without meal plans. The monthly sum depends on income, household size and monthly expenses, so team up with your roommates to apply as a household and plan grocery runs. The program requires California residency, United States Citizenship, an SSN, income information and a few other requirements, but the form is relatively simple to fill out. However, you can’t apply if you already have a meal plan on campus.
San Diego Food Bank: This website is the hub for everything San Diego food support, students and beyond. CalFresh and the College Hunger-Relief Program are the student-focused groups, but more programs are available for seniors, families and children. Feeding San Diego also offers support for all sorts of San Diegans, specializing in Veteran support.
As a student here, you belong to a community that cares about your health and nutrition. All of this support is here for you, and now that you know about it you can pass it forward. Encourage that friend who does homework at the Caf all day to apply for Swipe Out Hunger. Tell that friend who relies on scrounged snacks about CalFresh. And accompany that friend to Loma Shares on Tuesday, because you’re not just supporting their gut — you’re supporting their basic needs.
True Van Dyke 
Kailyn Collette