Colleges nationwide are ramping up food pantries, emergency aid and on‑campus support after a lapse and subsequent uncertainty in SNAP benefits disrupted students’ access to food earlier this month. Campus leaders report spikes in requests for basic assistance and say institutions are coordinating with community partners to fill gaps while federal benefits are uncertain. Higher education officials warn the episode underscores wider student financial fragility and the need for permanent basic‑needs infrastructure on campuses—food security, emergency grants and housing assistance—to prevent enrollment interruptions and academic fallout among low‑income and nontraditional students.