New state funding will bolster Grays Harbor College’s food security programs by providing free and reduced-price meals through a pilot project, according to a news release from the college.

GHC was one of four Washington community colleges in a field of 25 applicants to be selected for the Free/Reduced-Price Meal Pilot Program, which will prioritize the needs of low-income, first-generation, historically underrepresented, disabled, veterans and Running Start students. The three-year pilot will provide 125-200 students with healthy free or low-cost meals on campus three times per week.

“Thank you to our college team for their hard work in securing this resource for our students. This pilot will let us foster an environment on campus where all students have access to reliable food resources that can improve student’s overall well-being and academic achievements,” said GHC President Dr. Carli Schiffner in a news release.

The free meals program was created by the Washington state Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 1559. The Legislature allocated nearly $1 million per year for the three-year program to the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), which is administering the program.

Jennifer Dellinger, a policy associate with SBCTC, said competition for the funds was “one of the most competitive and innovative application processes we have seen.” Dellinger said GHC’s application “demonstrated intentionality about systemic response and how they will mobilize all their college/community resources to meet students’ basic needs.”

The program will launch in the winter quarter of 2024 and operate in the brand new Student Services and Instructional building, which is scheduled to open in January and will feature a cafeteria on its first floor. In addition to free meal vouchers, the pilot will help ensure affordable and healthy meal options are available on campus. It will also create a food security committee and devote funds to student-led initiatives and workshops to develop food security solutions.

The pilot will run alongside other food security programs in place at GHC. In collaboration with food pantry supplier Coastal Harvest, the college opened the Harbor Landing Food Pantry during the 2017-2018 school year to provide food to both students and the general public. The pantry is moving to a permanent location in the 500 building on GHC’s upper campus in the fall of 2023.

According to the news release, Grays Harbor County’s food insecurity rate is about 15%, about 3% higher than the national average. Food insecurity rates among GHC students — 44% — are also above state average, according to data from the Fall 2022 Washington Student Experience/Basic Needs Survey. The survey also found American Indian, Alaska Native and Black students faced disproportionately higher rates of food insecurity than white respondents.

That data informed the college’s strategy for implementing the pilot program, said GHC Vice President of Student Services Dr. Cal Erwin-Svoboda.

“GHC is dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that enables all students to thrive academically, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds or demographic characteristics,” Erwin-Svoboda said. “This pilot will allow the college to address the disparities and intricate factors that contribute to food insecurity, and help ensure equitable access to nourishing meals for every student.”

More information about how students can sign up for the program will be available closer to the launch of the program.

Contact reporter Clayton Franke at 406-552-3917 or clayton.franke@thedailyworld.com.