New analysis finds Pell Grant recipients are experiencing higher levels of food insecurity, along with lower persistence and completion rates. The Institute for Higher Education Policy analysis links basic needs strain to student outcomes, reinforcing that affordability challenges extend beyond tuition and into daily living costs. The findings raise pressure on campus food pantries, emergency aid systems, and case management models that connect student support services to retention targets. Institutions that already invested in food assistance may need to strengthen intake, tracking, and referrals. Because Pell is a proxy for financial need, the data also helps policymakers better target funding and program design. For higher education leaders, the message is operational: addressing food insecurity can be treated as a student success intervention tied to completion goals, not only a humanitarian response.