Food insecurity among college students has become more widely recognized within recent years. This contributes to the need for additional research to understand the complexity of the student experience with food needs. The current study aimed to fill an even greater gap specifically utilizing qualitative research. The goal of this study is to understand the context of eating patterns, food assistance resources, and health and wellbeing for students classified with very low food security. By making use of survey research conducted in the spring of 2018, participants that met inclusion criteria for identifying as food insecure were recruited for the current study to reach data saturation with a final sample size of 30 participants. Investigator designed, study specific, measurement tools were created in the form of a supplemental survey and moderators guide. Seven focus groups and 11 individual interviews were conducted using two cofacilitators. SPSS software was used to provide output frequency data of supplemental survey results. These results show 77% (n= 23) of students reported getting enough calories to keep them satisfied but not getting the variety of food they should to eat a well-balanced diet, and 23% (n=7) reported not getting enough calories to keep them satisfied, and not getting the variety of food they should to eat a well-balanced diet. Seven percent (n=2) were currently enrolled in assistance (SNAP) and 30% (n=9) reported family enrollment growing up (WIC and SNAP). Manual open coding was used to analyze focus group and interview transcriptions and generate seven major themes. These major themes are: Eating and Shopping Habits, Food Experience Growing up, Health and Wellbeing, Food Assistance Use and Barriers, Adaptations and Coping Strategies, Campus Enviornment, and Future Program Interventions. Additional subthemes and categorical focus areas were established to further code participant responses and match them with corresponding participant quotes. Data collected was then used to inform future ixTABLE OF CONTENTS

The intersections between hunger and health are beginning to gain traction. New interventions emphasize collaboration between the health and social service sectors. This study aimed to understand the nutrition and physical activity (PA) needs as perceived by food pantry stakeholders to inform a health intervention approach. The study used formative research incorporating mixed methods through surveying and semi-structured interviews with three food pantry stakeholder groups: Clients (n = 30), staff (n = 7), and volunteers (n = 10). Pantry client participants reported; high rates of both individual (60%, n = 18) and household (43%, n = 13) disease diagnosis; low consumption (0–1 servings) of fruits (67%, n = 20) and vegetables (47%, n = 14) per day; and low levels (0–120 min) of PA (67%, n = 20) per week. Interviews identified five final convergent major themes across all three stakeholder groups including food and PA barriers, nutrition and PA literacy, health status and lifestyle, current pantry operations and adjustments, and suggestions for health intervention programming. High rates of chronic disease combined with low health literacy among pantry clients demonstrate the need to address health behaviors. Further research piloting the design and implementation of a comprehensive health behavior intervention program in the food pantry setting is needed.