Mixed Berry Orange Jam

by Jen Behnke Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 24 hours Servings: 2 16-oz jars

Ingredients 1 cup raspberries 1 cup blackberries 1 orange, zested and juiced 4 cups sugar 1-1.75 oz box pectin

Directions 01 In a small pot, add the raspberries, blackberries, orange zest, and orange juice. 02 Use a whisk to mash the mixture and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes while breaking up the berries. 03 After cooking, add the sugar and pectin and cook until no sugar crystals remain. 04 Pour the mixture into a glass mason jar with a new seal and lid; the jar needs to be full with a ¾ inch headspace to allow the jar to seal. 05 Add enough water to submerge the mason jar in a large pot. Begin boiling the water. 06 Once water is boiling, add the jars of jam into the water and cover with a lid. Let the jars boil in the water for 10 minutes. 07 Take the jars out and place them on a towel to let cool. Cool for 24 hours; this will allow time to seal. 08 The next day, tap the top of the jar to make sure the jar is sealed; the lid should not be loose. If it is loose, the jam will need to be thrown away.

the ripple effect of hunger: food insecurity lurking among college campuses

by Julia Meehan

It is no surprise to anyone that college tuition continues to rise. As the zeros tack on, college students’ only free in the world is not just tuition. It is far more than that, from paying rent, purchasing groceries, buying books and getting drinks with friends after class. Each college student’s financial situation is unique and different. Because of that, there is a likely chance that the college student anyone is sitting next to on the CyRide is facing food insecurity.

The Issue

According to data by the National College Health Association, one-third of college students face food insecurity, and on Iowa State University’s campus alone, 24% of the student body are food insecure. Across the nation, one in seven students skip a meal regularly because of a financial burden. Many factors come into play regarding food insecurity: social, cultural, economic, political and environmental. Income, employment, race, ethnicity and disability also play a role. Not only that, but food insecurity is also influenced by disruptions like climate change, pandemics, disempowerment, poverty, natural disasters and conflict. The problem among the population of college students is even more minute. Student to student, the variables change from as broad as financials to as simple as your day-to-day schedules. Some international students can’t obtain a work visa because it must be part time or on-campus jobs, and others are heavily invested in their research, leaving no time outside of their studies to have a part-time job as full-time students. Either way, many college students balance this lifestyle of work and play that has them living paycheck to paycheck to stay afloat, and in some cases, that isn’t manageable. So, where is the income flow? If none, there must be corners cut somewhere — enter the choice of food. Before the ongoing pandemic, Health Affairs said 30% of all college students faced food insecurity during their college careers.

In the fall of 2020, The Hope Center survey found that 38% of two-year students and 29% of four-year students experienced food insecurity in the last 30 days. The survey found ethnic and racial disparities among the responses — 75% of Indigenous, 70% of Black and 70% of American Indian or Alaskan Native experienced food insecurity compared to the 54% of white students. -enced food insecurity compared to the 54% of white students. “The pandemic and food insecurity have collided, most definitely between food price increases, changes in wages and jobs and even supply chain issues. It's made a difference in our world,” said Patty Yoder, executive director at Food At First. The SHOP — students helping our peers — a local food pantry on Iowa State’s campus, was open three hours a week and saw about six to 10 visitors before the pandemic. Since the pandemic, they have seen a spike in student visitors, about 30 to 40 a week, leading them to be open three days out of the week. Because of the high demand, The SHOP partners with the Food Bank of Iowa and receives 400 to 600 pounds of food a week. The food is flying off the shelves, and they can’t keep up.

Sometimes, food insecurities exist because of underlying issues, but the persistence of this problem could be because students do not know these resources are available to them. On top of that, the emotions and stigma come hand in hand when acknowledging that someone is food insecure and needs help.

“It’s like any issue just swept under the rug — the stigma,” said Kallen Augustad, registered dietitian for ISU Dining. “Many people are ashamed of bringing some of these things up. But I feel like the awareness is becoming more prevalent.”

The effects of food insecurity go far beyond empty pockets. Experiencing food insecurity impacts physical and mental health. Like any domino effect, if one is not physically and mentally present in their lecture hall, succeeding in their academics is low. “You're here to get a degree, learn from clubs and grow as a young person,” Augustad said. “But you can't do that unless you have proper nourishment and proper access to nourishment.”

The Resources

Because food insecurity is prevalent among college students, universities have taken matters into their own hands. College campuses recognize this problem students face and create resources to eliminate this issue. “It's become a lot more common now, and people are becoming more vocal with it like, ‘No, this is a real need, and this is a need that I have and need to acknowledge,’” Augustad said. “It is so exciting to see our society be able to change and mold based on what those needs are.” In 2011, what started as a class project for some students in the Food Science and Human

Nutrition learning community quickly became an organization demanded by students to be open 24/7. That is when The SHOP, a confidential food pantry and volunteer organization located in Beyer Hall, was established.

The SHOP’s vision is to serve the student population and Ames community by increasing hunger awareness and food insecurity through various activities. Much like The SHOP, Iowa State University’s dining halls have ample resources available to stu dents. For instance, the dining services' Give A Swipe program helps students support peers by donating their Flex Meals or Dining Dollars, which are turned into meal swipes that students can use at any dining hall. Other than Iowa State’s resources and The SHOP, there are local food pantries in the Ames area like Food At First. Located on Clark Avenue, Food At First offers daily free meals and a perishable free market. No questions asked, Food At First provides meals to all struggling.

The Solution

There is no definitive solution, but the solution can be twofold. An individual can be the solution by donating and volunteering. The SHOP and Food At First only thrive and stay open with community help. Food At First is open 365 days a year, and they need everyone — volunteers — to be there for those struggling. Megan Lampright, a junior in dietetics and a co-president of The SHOP, asked herself, “how can I make a difference on campus for students?” She believes every student should have access to food, and her goal is to make a difference as an individual for other people. Like any issue in a community, you may not be fighting it, but your neighbor could be. Support the end of food insecurity by spending your day or night helping volunteers or donating money and perishable food for meals. “There needs to be more advocates for it,” Lampright said. “It will take time; you can’t change it overnight.” So how will you be an advocate for food insecurity?