Profile Story:
A Warrior Against Food Insecurity

“Grab a cookie! They’re free!” – words we all love hearing; words we wish were proclaimed more often. Such statements, however, are uttered daily by Megan Ikeda, the lead coordinator of the Associated Students Food Bank at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Giving out free cookies sheds little light on the true day to day life of this food bank employee, a life filled with countless battles against the war of food insecurity on college campuses.

When I met with Megan she arrived at the precise time we had scheduled our interview: Sunday at 6:30 PM. She wore workout gear but explained she had no intention of going to the gym; instead, her attire paralleled her constantly on the go lifestyle. Before delving into her professional life, we took a moment, reflecting on the first time we crossed paths at the freshman dorms four years ago. We knew very little of one another, each of us trying to find their place at UCSB. Nonetheless, one thing was always apparent about Megan: she gravitated towards those in need, always seeking ways in which she could improve their lives. 

The Battle of Privilege

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Despite growing up in a rather privileged community on the outskirts of San Francisco, the issue of food insecurity existed on Megan’s radar since the age of 16 years-old. 

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“I watched a documentary named A Place at the Table and for the first time, I realized that the issue of hunger was not a developing world issue, it was also an American issue. The war against food insecurity was occurring right before us yet no one around me was talking about it.” 

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The documentary ended, the bell rang for their next class, and everyone had already moved on from the story before them: the story of hunger in one of the world’s greatest economies. As each student filtered out of the classroom, Megan found herself still, unable to move past what she had just learned. 

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“I recognized that this was an issue beyond my control, but I understood that the power of now was in small scale activism and helping the struggling community in my own backyard.”

It was then that Megan started volunteering at the Monument Crises Center in Concord, California. For the first time, she found herself face to face with extreme poverty and hunger in America; her own battle against food insecurity had officially begun. 

The Monument Crises Center, like the Associated Student Food Bank, is a food distribution center, providing canned and fresh produce to thousands of low-income and at-risk individuals. For hours a week, Megan interacted with individuals in need, hearing their stories and doing everything in her power to ease their struggles. Such actions naturally carried into her undergraduate career, where she began volunteering at the Associated Students Food Bank almost immediately after starting UCSB.

“This wasn’t an issue that I was able to outgrow; if anything, my passion for it intensified with age. The thing about hunger is that it is a silent killer, one I could not let prevail.”

The Battle of UCSB

Stories of struggle from the older population of Concord transformed into stories of struggle from her fellow friends and classmates. As she worked her way up the UCSB Food Bank, becoming the lead student coordinator, Megan found herself tackling the challenge of providing food to thousands of students in need. Each day presented a different obstacle: food shortages, constrained locations, and limited resources.

The Associated Student Food Bank is an organization that provides free fresh food to the UCSB community. Its mission is centered on tackling food insecurity on campus as well as raising awareness on issues surrounding food and hunger. On an average day, up to 800 students walk through their doors for food distributions.

“The beauty of this organization is that it’s not just a free grocery store, it’s a community, a safe space for students in need. There is confidentiality in all our services, which allows us to be effective and really make a change in some of these people’s lives.”

Today, 42% of UCSB students have faced food insecurity. That is 20,070 students at UCSB. The same students sitting in our classes, walking past us at the arbor, and studying with us at the library.  

Upon joining the food bank, it was apparent to Megan that substantial change was necessary for improving the space, extended its accessibility, and capitalizing on distributions. Consequently, three major changes were implemented by Megan and her team over the initial months: increasing food donations from the community, extending operation hours, and doubling the number of meal swipes distributed to students, allowing for access to ready-made meals at the campus dining halls. Each issue became its own project, overseen by Megan as she collaborated with the administration and company staff members.

“For months my days consisted of me bouncing from one office to the next. From coordinating meal tickets with the Director of UCSB Housing and Dining to developing donation partnerships with Trader Joe’s, my team and I were laboring long hours with the aim of reforming the campus food bank. Expanding the available resources for suffering is still a work in progress, but every day is a little step in the right direction.”

The Battle of Resilience 

One cannot forget, however, that in the midst of such action, Megan herself is a student at UCSB majoring in Economics. For a while, Megan’s found herself removed, following the motions as she floated between the food bank and the library. She worked relentlessly in garnering resources for overcoming campus food insecurity, only to end her nights with hours of studying to ensure she was admitted into her major. As I watched her tired eyes scanning the rush of students walking past us in the library, I asked what it was that motivated her in the continued pursuit of this cause. 

“The people. It’s always the people. Those that come to the food bank are the most giving yet they have the least to give. There isn’t a day that passes where we aren’t reminded how much our work is appreciated and those are the little moments that make it all worth it.”

Motivation is only enhanced with individual student stories, Megan explained. She detailed a time where a student had approached her and explained how his dire financial circumstances had left him with so little food he found himself losing substantial weight. Her face dropped as she further informed me of countless students who are forced to live out of their cars with virtually no access to food outside of the Associated Students Food Bank.

“It’s an inhumane concept to me. Your time as a student should be focused on achieving your degree, not on worrying where your next meal will come from or if your stomach will loudly growl during an exam.” 

The Battle of Washington

In October of 2019, Megan traveled to the state capital alongside her food bank co-workers with the mission of lobbying for basic needs on college campuses, that of which included the deficient access to food. She met with several officials, including Oregon state Senator, Jeff Merkley of the Democratic party. The goal of the trip, she explained, was twofold: raising awareness on the epidemic of food insecurity on college campuses and convincing representatives to ratify a bill that would amass additional artillery in the war against hunger.

“Unfortunately, the formalities of Washington made it difficult to directly meet with many Senators and representatives so we met with many of their staff members instead. They listened. But it wasn’t the same. I didn’t feel like it was enough, I never do. There’s always more that can be done, more that should be done.”

Megan explained the necessity of creating a visceral understanding of the current basic needs crises that are faced by college students throughout the nation. The problem of hunger is one that leaks into a multitude of other facets of life, decelerating the productivity and abilities of our future generations. The recurring message of her activism was one that highlighted that there is currently an immediate crisis that requires federal level voices in passing the presented initiatives.

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“We shared the stories. We shared statistics. We shared suggestions. The fact that 25% of students in America have considered dropping out of classes as a result of food issues is senseless. So, we pushed the narrative that an investment into basic needs for students is an investment into the future.”

The Battle of the Future

As our conversation shifted into the topic of “what’s next?” I watched Megan’s eyes light up with passion as she explained what her personal aspirations were regarding the war against food insecurity. She deconstructed her short-term and long-term goals; it was clear that she had invested a generous amount of time and energy into such thoughts. Her short-term goals were centered around the continued growth of the UCSB food bank:

“Before I graduate, I want nothing more than to expand our space on campus. I want fridges, ovens, blenders, a sink, everything; we need a permanent kitchen to accompany our free grocery store for those who do not have access to one. I know it is doable. I have seen other UC campuses figure it out. Now, it’s our turn.”

She then launched into her long-term goal, one that was intertwined with her pursuit of Economics as a major. She explained how she hopes to capitalize on her privilege and learn the ropes of private industries in a grand scheme of then giving back to the cause she values so deeply.

“Food insecurity will never be an issue I can ignore. The stories I have heard and the people I have encountered have become a part of who I am. My abilities in enacting change will grow with me. After graduating, my efforts will divert to joining NGOs rooted in overcoming hunger. Eventually, I would love to develop my own NGO… but first I’ll need a real-life job and financial stability!”

As the conversation subsided, the importance of ensuring this issue maintained traction radiated. Activists like Megan highlight the actions necessary in winning the war against food insecurity, a war that requires the collective action of students, administration, and the federal government. Like all wars, however, there exist obstacles in the path to victory.

“We are far from winning this fight. There is still an immense amount that must be done. We need to continue advocating against hunger at both local and national levels. We cannot leave those struggling behind. Lacking access to basic needs, like food, should not exist as a problem at an elite university in the United States, let alone at a global problem.”

Throughout the academic year, all students can visit the Associated Students food bank to pick up free groceries on the second floor of the UCSB University Center from 9:30 AM to 6 PM on Monday, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Students can register for additional resources at foodbank.as.ucsb.edu/register-today.