Merski, Harkins: $20,000 secured to keep hunger off Mercyhurst campus

ERIE, Jan. 11 – Mercyhurst University has been awarded $20,000 to help fight student hunger and food insecurity, state Reps. Bob Merski and Pat Harkins announced today.

The lawmakers, both D-Erie, said the funding from the Hunger-Free Campus grant program will help address a problem that still plagues campus life for some students.

“Hunger is a huge obstacle to learning, whether the student is age 8 or 18,” Merski said. “Securing this funding for Mercyhurst University will ensure that hunger and food security do not stand in the way of Erie’s young adults as they pursue higher education and careers.”

Harkins said, “Food insecurity doesn’t just affect families in households. It can follow students to the classroom and be a barrier as they work to obtain a degree. This funding is going to allow Mercyhurst University to knock down those barriers by ensuring students have the nutrition they need.”

More on the funding is available here: http://governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-and-first-lady-announce-1-million-in-pa-hunger-free-campus-grant-funding-for-28-colleges-and-universities/.