LYNN — North Shore Community College has been given $19,514 in Hunger Free Campus Initiative grants in the wake of SNAP’s uncertainty.
The funds, which have been granted by the Healey-Driscoll administration, are estimated to support initiatives such as food pantries, food lockers, grab-and-go stations, grocery and meal vouchers, SNAP outreach, and cafeteria meal swipes for FY26.
Dr. William Heineman, president of NSCC and chair of the Community College Council of Presidents, expressed his gratitude for the grant.
“Our community colleges have long advocated for holistic student supports. We’re grateful for the Healey-Driscoll administration and the legislature for the Hunger Free Campus grants — hungry students can’t learn, and student basic needs remains a top priority for our colleges.” Heineman said.
Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, former superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, emphasized the importance of food accessibility in educational settings.
“I want to thank all of our higher education partners and campuses for stepping up over the past few weeks to support students’ food security needs as Washington continues to play politics with food. Higher education should be accessible to everyone, and that means we need to lift barriers like food insecurity. These grants are part of the state’s efforts to ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed in college,” Tutwiler said.
In July, President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans passed a bill, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” that made severe changes to SNAP. In October, the Trump Administration told states that the federal government will not pay SNAP benefits on time for the month of November, making Trump the first president in U.S. history to withhold SNAP benefits during a federal government shutdown.
Following a Nov. 6 court order instructing the Trump Administration to release SNAP benefits in full, Gov. Maura Healey ordered benefits to be processed immediately. Following the end of the government shutdown, SNAP has returned to normal schedules and amounts, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.
With the Hunger Free Campus Initiative grants, the Healey-Driscoll administration has given nearly $500,000 to 30 colleges and universities in Massachusetts. The funds are estimated to serve 36,000 students across the state.
Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll emphasized the urgency of the grants at a time when more than 150,000 Massachusetts residents, including students, may have their SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated.
“We want college students to be able to focus on succeeding in school and their career, but they can’t do that if they are facing hunger. Far too many students on our campuses were already struggling to afford food, and President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ cuts to SNAP and other food assistance programs have made things even worse. In Massachusetts, we are committed to preventing everyone, including our students, from going hungry,” Healey said.
Driscoll said, “Too many Massachusetts students face difficult choices every day about paying for rent, transportation, child care, and food. These Hunger Free Campus Initiative grants are part of our support for college students who are working hard to earn a better living through higher education.”
