After years of efforts, Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) campus has recently been designated as Hunger Free, as assigned by the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

The goals of a Hunger Free campus are to address student food insecurity, raise awareness of existing campus services and resources, identify sustainable practices and increase enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Part of the journey to the Hunger-Free designation was aided by Associated Student Government (ASG), Sodexo and CMU staff members helping implement the Swipe Out Hunger initiative, where Sodexo donated one meal for each resident meal plan students signed up for in Fall 2021. Over 2,100 meals were donated.

ASG Vice President Salina Edwards, Assistant Director of Student Life Haley Weideman and Director of Budgets and Food Services Whitney Sutton were all part of getting Swipe Out Hunger off the ground.

“While this designation helps fulfill the goal of making CMU hunger-free, it also represents a larger commitment to ensuring that efforts to reduce food insecurity continue into the future. The challenging process of receiving this designation has also been inspirational,” Edwards said.

ASG further put on Mesa Fest on April 28 following the designation, supported by the Cultural Inclusion Council and Sodexo.

“[Mesa Fest] is talking about food insecurity making sure that students know that there are resources in the community and also on campus,” Arron Reed said.

Another large part of making CMU more accessible in terms of food services was aided by the campus food bank, called The Pantry, which serves dozens of students during its hours with donated meals and leftovers from The Caf.

“I am ecstatic and energized. It is awesome to see and be a part of the collective effort to address food insecurity on campus. I have heard stories of students who made it through the semester because of Swipe Out Hunger and the future pantry. I have also heard from alumni who are proud of the effort we have made, who when they were at CMU wished they had the resources that are available now,” Edwards said.