The University of South Dakota added a meal swipe donation program this fall semester to enable students to donate swipes to their peers in need. The university is collaborating with food-service provider, Sodexo, and Swipe Out Hunger on the initiative.

As reported by student publication, The Volante, the Swipe Out Hunger program was built into the university's Sodexo contract and is actively in place across all the South Dakota Board of Regents campuses. Sodexo also offers the initiative at its client campuses nationwide.

At South Dakota, Swipe Out Hunger is administered by the office of the Dean of Students and overseen by the Interim Associate Dean of Students, Kate Fitzgerald.

“Students who are experiencing food insecurity can apply for 10 or 20 swipes in residential dining,” said Fitzgerald in a Volante interview. "If approved, a Swipe Out Hunger meal plan is added to students’ ID card."

Since the Swipe Out Hunger initiative began, South Dakota USD has dispersed 47 meal swipe packages to students in need. Each student is only eligible for the program once per semester.

USD has instituted other programs in the past to help combat food insecurity among its campus community. The university also maintains Charlie’s Cupboard, the USD student food bank. The food bank is open every Thursday and is located on campus. Any student with an active USD ID card is eligible to collect food from the cupboard.

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