 The CalFresh program, also known as SNAP or Food Stamps across the United States, provides monthly funds through a benefit card, similar to a debit card to individuals and households of low income backgrounds. This federal program aims to reduce food insecurity across the nation and tries to lift people out of poverty by making sure that everyone, young and old, have the ability to put balanced meals on the table. Since March 2020, emergency allotments have been provided to all eligible CalFresh households on a monthly basis. But like many other COVID-era benefits, these extra funds have now come to an end. Early this year, it was announced that the final extra COVID allotment would be issued this past March. I used to break this today. We're in a really rigorous environment where I'm really busy all the time and when I used to have the COVID allotments with my EMT, I was able to afford getting wraps and to-go items and not stressing about how much I have to spend on eating food, which was really helpful whenever I was doing all my other schoolwork and stuff. But now that they're taking away that COVID allotment, I have to stress more about how much I'm spending when I buy food, how I have to buy more raw ingredients and produce and spend more time cooking instead of buying things that might be prepared. So it's kind of causing a bit more stress in my life at Berkeley here. When I first found out about the COVID allotments being stopped, I didn't really think too much of it. I didn't worry too much because I was still going to have my original funds added. But given that I did have to start from zero because of my experience over winter break, it did kind of get me to start thinking about it a bit more because I noticed that with my original funds, I had enough, but it was just enough to cover me for the month. Now I actually have to worry a bit more about how much is this, how much is that, so I have to be careful with what I buy. According to the 2022 UC undergraduate experience survey, 43% of students reported experiencing some sort of food insecurity. Jay Novin, the executive director of the Berkeley Student Food Collective, shared why college students, especially first-generation or low-income students, may be particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. The removal of the pandemic benefits from CBT are going to have tremendous rippling effects for students at UC Berkeley, and that goes beyond simply being able to excel and succeed in their academic trajectory, but it's also going to have long-standing impacts on their extracurricular activity, the other jobs that they're working in order to maintain their economic stability, but also we know well that food security is highly correlated with mental health outcomes and even the embodied physical repercussions that come from not being able to survive. These are issues that lead to all different types of physical disorders and maladies that will affect students potentially long after their time at Berkeley and well beyond the impact of getting a specific grade in a specific class. While the epidemic of college hunger can be seen as a blemish to the state's world-class higher education system, California has taken a leading role in acknowledging and combating this issue. This effort is primarily driven by students who have formed a powerful movement. As a result of their advocacy, basic needs centers have been set up in numerous state colleges, offering food pantries and meal-sharing programs, making strides towards enhancing access to programs such as CalFresh. Additionally, local student-run stores such as the Berkeley Student Food Collective are providing fresh, local and healthy food at affordable prices to students. Any time I haven't had my EBT card, I've been able to get food at the food pantry here at Berkeley and that's been really helpful. They'll have prepared foods as well as canned goods and produce and the produce comes from the Berkeley Student Farms, which I also volunteer at and I always get produce from there. Any time I've been volunteering at the end I'm able to harvest kale or harvest something and take it home with me and cook really fresh produce. There's definitely resources on campus. If I don't have my EBT card, even though it does stress me out, I'm really glad that I have other places that I can still get food from the campus. For more information on how to apply to CalFresh and connect with these various campus resources, visit basicneeds.berkeley.edu or visit foodcollective.org. Reporting for CalTV, I'm Hailey Cho.