Some students may have noticed a new sign on the front desk as they walk into the Upper Commons. The Swipe It Forward program has been running at Roger Williams University for 5 to 6 years with the goal of addressing food insecurity on campus. Now, they need students’ help to ensure this program can keep helping students in need.
Every semester students have the opportunity to donate 1 or 2 of their meal swipes to the Swipe it Forward program. (One normal swipe and/or a guest swipe) The Swipe it Forward program then passes these meal swipes onto students in need.
Since the start of the semester Debbie Knapman, Director of Student and Family Assistance, says she has already received around seven requests from students who need the meal swipes. The issue is that the meal swipe fund is largely composed of student donations, which have recently dipped in quantity. Knapman wants to help as many students as possible but worries about what will happen if they run out of swipes.
According to Feeding America in Rhode Island, 1 in 11 people face food insecurity, and it is important to remember that this statistic does not change just because we are on a college campus. Food insecurity is defined by not being able to know when your next meal will be or where it comes from– something that should not be an issue when we have an on-campus dining hall meant to be serving students. A donation to the Swipe it Forward program makes sure all students can put their focus into their school work instead of having to worry about where their next meal will come from.
If students want to donate they can do so using the QR code here, on the signs outside Upper Commons or using the link: Addressing Food Insecurity | Roger Williams University.
If a student thinks they might qualify for this program they should contact Knapman at [email protected] or Michael Walsh at [email protected]. You can also reach out to them if you want to get more involved with fighting food insecurity in and around campus.
Also, watch out in the future for more fundraising opportunities such as the upcoming Stop & Shop Bloomin’ 4 Good Program.
