The COVID-19 pandemic has created socio-economic distress for individuals across the globe, including changes to employment status and income. This has resulted in increased rates of food insecurity. My research included two different studies related to food security during the pandemic: the first focused on barriers to food security among New Hampshire residents statewide, and the second focused on the experiences of college students at the University of New Hampshire. Data on food security status was collected through an online survey and responses were scaled using the USDA Food Insecurity Questionnaire. I also conducted focus groups to collect qualitative data to understand the challenges and barriers individuals faced during the 2020-2021 year. For the statewide study, UNH Cooperative Extension Educators answered the questions according to the residents of the counties they serve, while for the UNH study students answered based on personal experiences. According to the participants’ responses, 18.2% of those from the New Hampshire study had low food security in comparison to 25% of UNH students. Both studies demonstrated the need for a central location of resources online, while the statewide study also revealed the need for a SNAP Outreach Coordinator. Additionally, UNH students identified allergy-friendly food availability and dining hall related stress and anxiety as primary topics of concern.
