Solving the Challenge of
Food Insecurity for College Students
The Free Market is located at 300 Granby Street on the TCC campus in Norfolk. Since it opened its doors, more than 40,000 pounds of food, equivalent to over 33,000 meals, has been distributed to TCC students. Since 2020, Tidewater Community College (TCC) and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore have worked to address the problem of food insecurity among college students. The Community Feed at MacArthur Mall was a valuable resource for the community, offering nutritious food options and addressing the underlying issues of food insecurity.
Now the Community Feed has transformed into the Free Market at TCC, with a renewed focus on serving TCC students. “Food insecurity has the potential to harm college students’ ability to achieve their education and professional goals,” says Christopher Tan, president and CEO of the Foodbank. “This partnership brings together the expertise and resources of the Foodbank and the localized understanding and proximity of the TCC community, creating a more efficient and targeted approach to address the unique challenges of college students struggling with food insecurity.”
The Free Market is located at 300 Granby Street on the TCC campus in Norfolk. Since it opened its doors in February of last year, more than 40,000 pounds of food, equivalent to over 33,000 meals, has been distributed to TCC students. Of that total, more than 10,000 pounds were fresh produce. “Since opening, the Free Market at TCC has served nearly 2,000 students, showing strong engagement with resources aimed at supporting low-income students,” says Dr. Thomas Chatman, Dean of Support Services.
“At TCC, we prioritize student success which includes helping our students identify and eliminate barriers,” says Dr. Maria Conston, TCC president.
The Free Market at TCC provides fresh fruit and vegetables and other nutritious food to help students struggling with food insecurity. “The Free Market at TCC ensures that our students receive meals, nonperishable foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy lifestyle.” TowneBank has supported the TCC Foodbank partnership since the beginning with a multiyear grant, helping provide more than 470,000 meals.
A key initiative in this partnership is the Food-2-Finish (F2F) program, a food scholarship supporting eligible students. Statistics show that students in F2F consistently perform better academically and have a higher re-enrollment rate. “These positive outcomes highlight the effectiveness of F2F and similar support resources, underscoring the Free Market’s essential role in fostering student success,” Dr. Chatman says.
A second campus-based pantry is located at the TCC campus in Portsmouth, 120 Campus Drive, and a third is at Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa. For more information, visit FoodbankOnline.org.