BATON ROUGE, La. – During the 2026 Regular Legislative Session, Louisiana legislators invested $1M in the Hunger-Free Campus Program, providing support for efforts to address food insecurity among college students statewide. On Monday, the Board of Regents announced plans for distribution to participating campuses.
The Hunger-Free Campus Program, managed by the Board of Regents, helps colleges connect students with food and other resources. In 2022 Louisiana enacted the Hunger-Free Campus legislation, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Freiberg of Baton Rouge.
Thirty-four (34) Louisiana postsecondary institutions hold the Hunger-Free Campus designation, including 30 public and four private institutions.
The new investment strengthens Louisiana’s efforts to help students remain enrolled, complete their credentials and prepare to enter the workforce. An estimated 23% of college students nationwide—approximately 3.8 million—experience food insecurity, according to a 2024 analysis, part of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study.
“Louisiana’s higher education institutions are preparing the talent that will drive our state’s economy, and we can’t let hunger stand in students’ path to prosperity,” said Louisiana’s Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed. “We are deeply grateful to the Legislature for this historic $1M investment. The elevated funding will help more students access the resources they need to persist, earn a credential and enter Louisiana’s workforce ready to succeed.”
The new investment will allow higher education institutions to expand food distribution, strengthen connections with local food banks, and improve on-campus food pantries and other services. Funding will be distributed to all of Louisiana’s public postsecondary institutions. In addition, a competitive grant opportunity will be released this fall, inviting campuses with the hunger-free designation (public and private postsecondary institutions) to propose innovative solutions that address barriers to food access that affect college students.
“I understand the need after hearing directly from a college student requesting food assistance. I’m proud that this investment will help remove challenges that can get in the way of students earning their credentials,” said House Appropriations Chair Rep. Jack McFarland. “It’s also an investment in Louisiana’s workforce. When students can focus on finishing their education, they’re better prepared to get to work and contribute to our state’s economy.”
The new $1M investment represents a significant expansion of support at a time when food insecurity is known to be a significant barrier to student success.
“In 2022, Louisiana became one of the first states in the nation to establish a Hunger-Free Campus program through legislation I was proud to author,” said Rep. Freiberg. “Today, we’re taking a major step forward by investing in this work and helping ensure students can complete their credentials without hunger standing in the way of their success.”
By strengthening campus food resources and connections to community support, Louisiana is helping ensure that a lack of access to food does not become the reason a student stops short of earning a credential, or the skilled workforce loses a future graduate.
