LAMA Joins National Call to Protect Students from Hunger in the 2026 Farm Bill
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) has joined a national sign-on letter urging Congress to strengthen SNAP access for college students and protect the program from new cost-shifting requirements that could deepen hunger in communities across the country.
The letter, addressed to Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, asks Congress to amend the Senate’s draft Agriculture Act of 2026 — the Farm Bill — to address the urgent crisis of food insecurity among students in higher education. The letter calls for Congress to reverse or delay new SNAP cost-sharing provisions that shift benefit and administrative costs onto states, reform outdated student eligibility rules, and reduce administrative barriers that keep eligible students from receiving food assistance.
For LAMA, this is a matter of faithful concern for neighbors who are trying to learn, work, care for families, and build stable futures while still struggling to meet basic needs. Hunger among students is not just a campus issue; it affects families, congregations, local economies, and the long-term well-being of Arizona communities. Many students experiencing food insecurity are parents, first-generation students, students with disabilities, veterans, former foster youth, students experiencing homelessness, and students working toward credentials that can lead to greater economic security.
Here in Arizona, campus food pantries make this crisis visible. At Arizona State University, Pitchfork Pantry is a student-led food pantry providing free fresh produce, rescued groceries, toiletries, and other resources to students. Its message is simple and true: no student should go hungry. Pitchfork Pantry reports serving more than 2,000 college students each month with the help of volunteers and student leaders.
Other Arizona campuses are responding as well. The University of Arizona Campus Pantry is a student-run supplemental grocery program serving students, faculty, and staff, with a goal of filling gaps and preventing food insecurity from standing in the way of student success. Northern Arizona University’s Louie’s Cupboard serves the NAU community by providing perishable and nonperishable food and resources, recognizing that many students struggle to afford groceries, rent, books, and other basic needs.
These campus ministries and student-led efforts are essential, but they cannot replace strong public policy. Food pantries help meet immediate need; SNAP helps prevent hunger before it becomes a crisis. When federal rules are confusing, restrictive, or administratively burdensome, eligible students may go without the support they need to stay healthy, remain enrolled, and complete their education.
The sign-on letter notes that more than four million students nationwide experience low or very low food security, and that many students who are likely eligible for SNAP do not receive benefits because the rules are difficult to navigate. Current SNAP rules often require low-income students attending college more than half-time to work at least 20 hours per week or meet complicated exemptions — even though intensive work requirements can undermine academic success and make it harder for students to complete degrees or workforce training.
As Lutherans, we believe public policy should help people meet their basic needs and participate fully in community life. Protecting SNAP and reforming student access in the Farm Bill are practical ways to reduce hunger, support education and workforce development, and honor the dignity of students and families working toward a more stable future.
LAMA is grateful to join partners across the country in asking Congress to ensure that students are not left further behind in the 2026 Farm Bill — and we give thanks for Arizona students, campus leaders, volunteers, and community partners already working to make sure no student has to learn on an empty stomach.
Learn about Pitchfork Pantry which serves 4 campuses — in Tempe at First United Methodist Church, in downtown Phoenix at Grace Lutheran Church and two other locations.
Learn about University of Arizona Campus Pantry
Learn about Louie’s Cupboard at Northern Arizona University