As tuition for American colleges and universities continues to rise and financial aid fails to keep up, many students are forced to ignore their basic needs. Though it may come as a surprise, between one-third and one-half of college students struggle to find enough to eat.

Given that college is hard enough without worrying where your next meal will come from, lawmakers have introduced legislation to tackle the issue of food insecurity on campuses across Pennsylvania: The Hunger-Free Campus Act would establish a grant program for institutions that take certain actions to eliminate hunger on their campus, including providing a food pantry and establishing a hunger task force.

In the richest country in the history of the world, many are denied the basic securities they need to survive. We can—and must—do better. Please consider taking a stand with the hardworking students of Pennsylvania by urging your elected officials to support this bill.