Being served while serving others: Effect of a community café on college students’ food insecurity and sense of community

Far from simply being hungry, college students with food insecurity often feel shame and stigma because of their predicament. While existing research has examined various food security interventions, little is known about models that integrate both nutritional support and community building. This study uses a qualitative case study design to examine the association of a pay-what-you-can café on food insecurity and how it can create community among college students. Pay-what-you-can cafes are unique in that people who are food secure and food insecure cannot be readily distinguished from each other in the café. Therefore, by not identifying who is paying and not paying for their meal, the café provides a welcoming environment which can erase the isolation and stigma that food insecure students often feel. This study found that the students value the food they receive and the sense of community that develops from eating and volunteering at the café.