The Food Security Fund was established in 2020 in response to the evolving needs of our students during and immediately following the pandemic. As students were asked to leave campus, Dining Services issued meal plan refunds. Many students generously chose to contribute their refunds to the Food Security Fund, resulting in over 75,000 refunded meal points dedicated to supporting their peers.
Originally created to assist students remaining on campus or in quarantine housing, the Food Security Fund has since become a permanent fixture in our commitment to student welfare. In collaboration with Student Financial Services, Dining Services has also worked diligently to better align students with higher financial needs with Platinum meal plans as part of their financial aid packages, replacing the Silver Meal Plan as the default option.
In 2023, the Food Security Fund continues to be available to support WashU undergraduate students facing financial hardship, thanks to the unwavering commitment of Dining Services and the invaluable contributions of our students.
How to Access the Food Security Fund
Undergraduate students of WashU should submit an individual request using the button below under “Submit a Request to the Food Security Fund”.
Request are evaluated by Student Financial Services during business hours and on a rolling basis. If eligible, students will receive meal points for Dining Services locations on the Danforth Campus. Eligible students are allowed to reapply to the fund.
If you are a graduate student, please speak with your department financial aid representative.
Submit a Request to the Food Security Fund
Contribute to the Food Security Fund
At the end of a semester, any unused meal points are forfeited. Students with excess meal points have the following options:
- Transfer Meal Points to the Food Security Fund
- Transfer Meal Points to another student
Students who are interested in transferring meal points to the Food Security Fund can do so at the end of the Fall and Spring Semester. You can transfer 25 or 50 meal points. To transfer points please fill out the form here. If you would like to be considered to transfer a larger number of points please email diningservices@wustl.edu.
Yes, students can transfer meal points to another student with a meal plan only one time per academic semester. To transfer points, both students must complete and sign the transfer form in-person at the Dining Services office next to Paws & Go in Zetcher House (Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm). Students with an off-campus plan are not eligible for transfer. Students that transfer points to another student are ineligible to receive funds from the Food Security Fund for that semester.
An administrative charge of 10 points PER PERSON is assessed for each transaction. These points will be deducted from your balance. The minimum amount that can be transferred is 100 points. The maximum amount that can be transferred is 500 points.