#ebtup

[meriuh777]

The food pantry at school has helped me many times and it can help anyone who needs it. I know at my old school I would go very often and there would be hygiene stuff and they gave me an option to take a months supply home if I needed it. I appreciate the support that school provides not only in academic work but in personal life. It can be hard to get certain items during this time because of the government shutdown so it is important we take advantage of the resources we have on campus. #EBTUP

[carmenscorner87]

Personal experience

Over the last 17 years, my family has been a one income household. My dad was our provider for the majority of my life. In the year 2023, my dad unfortunately lost his job. Since my family was a one income household, my dad losing his job affected us tremendously. While my dad was struggling to find work, my mom applied for SNAP and was accepted. My sisters and I put forth initiative and found work. I went from graduating high school to working part time while attending higher education in hopes to alleviate financial burden for my parents. My family works endlessly to make sure we as unit are well nourished. SNAP is constantly under scrutiny and demonized; many individuals are harshly criticized for simply using a resource that improves quality of life for many people- including people from all walks of life. I have personally relied on SNAP just as thousands of others. My personal connection to SNAP use has inspired my ability to address the dangers of improper and inaccurate information that is spread about SNAP and its impact .

[tsephv]

EBT

Getting EBT didn't magically solve everything, but it lifted a weight I had been carrying for a long time. For the first time in months, I could buy fresh produce without worrying about the total. I could pick up basic rice, pasta, bread without that knot in my stomach. It gave me stability during a time when everything else felt unstable.

[garca755]

When I was a kid, I just thought my mom had a special grocery card. She’d swipe it the total would drop and we’d go home with snacks and dinner like it was nothing. I didn’t realize it was EBT/SNAP, I just knew we always had food. My parents stretched every dollar, and that card made it possible.

Looking back, SNAP didn’t feel like a handout. It just meant we had dinner on the table and I got to grow up eating like any other kid, instead of worrying about groceries. That’s it. Pretty simple, pretty important.

[timwgss]

My food pantry experience

This is my first semester at Fullerton, and I live on campus. I have used the food pantry to stock my fridge over the weekends because I only have swipes for the dining hall during the week. The times the food pantry helped the most was when I got sick during the semester, being able to get free soup was very helpful. Also, as someone who doesn't eat most meats, there are still many options I can pick from.