By Fuvi Kloku
In the heart of Kennedy-King College’s Great Hall, a new chapter in Chicago’s fight against hunger was written. On September 30, Mayor Brandon Johnson stood alongside leaders from City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to launch “Food Security for Life”, a transformative initiative aimed at ending food insecurity among college students and their families.
The numbers are sobering: a 2024 survey revealed that nearly 50% of City Colleges students identified as food insecure. Behind each statistic is a student juggling coursework, jobs, and family responsibilities, often with an empty stomach. “Food security is about more than meals,” Mayor Johnson declared. “It’s about dignity, stability, and the ability to fully participate in life and learning.”
“Food Security for Life” is not a temporary fix—it’s a structural intervention. The initiative will roll out dynamic food markets on campus, offer frozen meals to go, provide free snacks at key locations, and connect students to public benefits like SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid. It also includes paid apprenticeships at the Food Depository, giving students not just nourishment, but pathways to sustainable careers.
Governor JB Pritzker joined the chorus of support, emphasizing the urgency: “As federal programs are weakened and grocery costs rise, it’s more important than ever to take bold steps to end food insecurity and help every Illinoisan thrive.”
Kate Maehr, CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, reminded attendees of the stakes: “Right now, there are students at City Colleges with the potential to be future leaders of Chicago and Illinois. We must ensure hunger never stands between them and the future they’re working so hard to reach.”
Chancellor Juan Salgado echoed the sentiment: “Our students come to City Colleges with big dreams. Being hungry should never stand in the way of their education.”
Thanks to generous donors—including a lead contribution from Knight Impact Partners—all food and services will be provided at no cost to students. Rebecca Knight, Executive Board Chair, summed it up: “Where barriers end, opportunity begins.”
“Food Security for Life” is more than a program—it’s a promise. A promise that no student will have to choose between a textbook and a meal. A promise that education in Chicago will be nourished not just by ideas, but by compassion and community.
As the first expanded market prepares to open at Kennedy-King College in January 2026, the message is clear: hunger has no place in the halls of learning. And in Chicago, the fight for equity begins with a full plate.
