During the path to a college degree, students encounter a myriad of challenges that extend far beyond the lecture halls and textbooks. One of the most pressing issues faced by many is the insecurity surrounding basic needs, including access to food, housing, and resources. The Student Basic Needs Coalition's Momentum Institute stands as a beacon of hope and action, offering students an incredible platform to not only address these challenges but also effectuate meaningful and lasting change. Here are seven compelling reasons why students, including YOU, should join the Momentum Institute as a gateway to empowerment and transformative action.
Raise Awareness for Basic Needs Insecurity: Joining the Momentum Institute provides an opportunity to participate in impactful campaigns aimed at raising awareness about basic needs insecurities. By actively engaging in educational initiatives and advocacy efforts, you can contribute to dispelling myths, reducing stigma, and fostering understanding about these critical issues.
Grow Your Leadership Skills: Engaging with the Momentum Institute is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Through leadership opportunities, workshops, and hands-on experiences, students can cultivate and enhance their leadership skills, paving the way for future success in various spheres. In fact, 100% of Fall 2023 participants reported that the program improved their confidence in their leadership abilities.
Provide Direct Access to Food Assistance to Your Peers: Being part of the Momentum Institute means actively working towards providing direct access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for college students. As you learn our unique peer-to-peer enrollment strategy, you will become confident in reducing stigma and increasing awareness surrounding SNAP to directly benefit peers facing food insecurity. So far, the current Momentum Institute cohort has unlocked $127,000 in SNAP benefits for their peers.
Gain Skills That Will Prepare You for a Career in a Variety of Fields: The Momentum Institute offers a diverse range of skill-building opportunities, equipping students with valuable skills that transcend the boundaries of academia. These skills, such as advocacy, communication, project management, and community organizing, are invaluable assets in various professional fields. When asked how participating in the Momentum Institute impacted one student, they responded “I’m able to support the students more fully with the additional skills I have gained and it’s made me a more competent social worker, too,” demonstrating the versatility of the skills gained throughout this program.
Make Connections with Students Across the Country: Joining the Momentum Institute opens doors to a vast network of like-minded individuals across the country. Forge connections, share experiences, and collaborate with students from diverse backgrounds, creating a robust support system that extends far beyond local boundaries. This past semester, the program brought together 29 students from 18 colleges and universities.
Learn How to Grow a Movement: Participating in the Momentum Institute provides first hand experience in grassroots organizing and movement-building. Gain insights into effective strategies for mobilizing communities, creating impactful campaigns, and rallying support for meaningful causes. By the end of the program, you will have built a strong leadership team, a campus hub for education and advocacy, and a powerful movement.
Create Lasting Change: Perhaps the most compelling reason to join the Momentum Institute is the opportunity to create tangible and lasting change. By actively contributing to SNAP enrollment, education, and advocacy efforts, students play a pivotal role in effectuating positive transformations within their educational institutions and broader communities.
In essence, the Student Basic Needs Coalition's Momentum Institute offers a gateway to empowerment, advocacy, and meaningful action. It's an invitation to stand at the forefront of change, to champion causes that directly impact the lives of students, and to foster a more equitable and supportive educational landscape.
Join the Momentum Institute today and be part of a movement dedicated to addressing basic needs insecurity, empowering individuals, and creating a brighter, more inclusive future for all.
Apply here by December 1st.