"[Sometimes] it is a choice between whether they buy a book for class or they put food on the table for their family."

The Washington Post has a fascinating piece on "food insecurity" in college students.:

"A problem known as ‘food insecurity’ — a lack of nutritional food — is not typically associated with U.S. college students. But it is increasingly on the radar of administrators, who report seeing more hungry students, especially at schools that enroll a high percentage of youths who are from low-income families or are the first generation to attend college."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it seems food insecurity negatively impacts academic performance.

Open education resources don’t solve this problem, but they do make things easier for students faced with the choice between paying for college and eating.

For more information on food insecurity, including readings and lessons, check out an OER collection like MERLOT.