A new analysis links food insecurity to lower persistence among older, working, and caregiving college students, adding fresh evidence for how basic-needs instability translates into academic outcomes. The report, produced by the Institute for Higher Education Policy, finds that food insecurity is associated with reduced persistence for these student groups. The findings align with broader student success concerns where housing, work schedules, and caregiving responsibilities limit the time and flexibility students have to seek assistance. For institutions, the operational takeaway is clear: persistence interventions increasingly need to integrate basic-needs supports into enrollment-management and advising workflows, rather than treating them as separate campus services. As student demographics continue to skew older and more employment- and family-centered, targeted food-security strategies may become a core retention lever rather than a peripheral program line.