Spelman College announces plan to address student hunger issue

Spelman College president Mary Schmidt Campbell is convening a task force to consider admitting and enrolling transgender student. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Spelman College president Mary Schmidt Campbell is convening a task force to consider admitting and enrolling transgender student. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Spelman College and its food service vendor have created a plan to help students who sometimes cannot afford meals, the college announced Thursday.

Spelman president Mary Schmidt Campbell released a statement to students and staff that it will help provide 2,000 meals by the end of this year and 7,000 meals next semester to current Spelman students who live off campus and who have a need for a meal. Starting Monday, Spelman will give free meal tickets to students who live off campus to use in the dining hall.

The changes were made after a group of students involved with the National Action Network Spelhouse Collegiate Chapter announced a hunger strike last week to raise awareness to food insecurity on campus. The students ended the hunger strike, Campbell wrote.

Spelman will explore additional ways they can address the problem, Campbell wrote.