Food Security for Life initiative seeks to end hunger among City Colleges students

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Tuesday afternoon celebrated the launch of "Food Security for Life," an initiative that aims to end hunger among City Colleges students.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is also involved in the endeavor.

Pritzker and Johnson attended the launch of a City Colleges food security program Tuesday.

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"Food security is about more than meals. It's about dignity, stability, and the ability to fully participate in life and learning. Research consistently tells us that food-insecure students are more likely to miss class, perform poorly, or drop out altogether. By ensuring access to nutritious food, City Colleges is making an essential investment in student retention, academic achievement, and long-term community health," Johnson said.

A 2024 survey of City Colleges student basic needs found that 50% identified as food insecure, the mayor's office said.

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The initiative will include on-campus markets with groceries for students, nutritionally balanced frozen meals to go for students and their families, snack items at various locations around campus, improved connection to public benefits and student apprenticeships, the mayor's office said.

It seeks to end hunger among City Colleges' 73,000 students for a lifetime.

"I'm proud to launch the Food Security for Life program, an effort that harnesses the power of the entire community and gives our students and their families access to the food they need to thrive," Pritzker said. "As the Trump administration guts the SNAP program and tariffs drive up grocery costs for working families, it's more important than ever to take steps to end food insecurity and help every Illinoisan get the nourishment they need to lead healthy, fulfilling lives."

The Food Security for Life program will be offered at no cost to City Colleges students, thanks to donors.

The initiative comes as students and their families are already feeling the impact of cuts to food assistance programs from the Trump administration.

Mo'hogney Mitchell, 20, doesn't have to worry about choosing between getting an education and having food to eat.

"My grandma had knee surgery, made quite a bit of a difference for her. I would say in me, as well, because I'm able to provide my grandma with some of those meals that I gave," Mitchell said.

The second year Kennedy-King psychology major is one of the students participating in the effort.

Advocates say research consistently shows that food-insecure students are more likely to miss class, perform poorly or drop out altogether.

"It is our intention that every single student of City Colleges and every single family member of every single student, all of the healthy food that they need to thrive," Greater Chicago Food Depository CEO Kate Maehr said.

The program comes as supporters say working families are struggling to feed themselves.

"Last month, the cost of groceries in the United States grew at its fastest pace in three years due to the Trump tariffs. At the same time, the administration has the SNAP program putting nutritional benefits for 360,000 Illinois recipients at risk," Pritzker said.

The launch will target the highest-need communities.

This program is an expansion of the food pantries that are already in existence at the City Colleges.