College Food Insecurity: Student LunchBox’s Journey Through 2025

As we close out 2025, we want to thank every donor, community partner, and all our volunteers who made this remarkable year possible. Your support has helped Student LunchBox grow stronger, move faster, and stand taller for the students who rely on us each day.

Student LunchBox Mobile MarketVolunteers gather at a community event, wearing aprons and caps, to support the Student LunchBox Mobile Market, an initiative aimed at combating food insecurity among students. This special event will feature renowned chef and author Chrissy Teigen as a special guest, adding excitement and inspiration to the cause.

Empowering Student Families

This year began with challenges none of us could have anticipated. In January, devastating fires displaced hundreds of college students and campus staff across Los Angeles, leaving many without basic necessities. Within days, our team was on the ground providing emergency relief, including nutritious food, clothing, hygiene kits, pet supplies, and steady support during a very uncertain time. It was one of the strongest moments of community unity we have witnessed, and your partnership ensured we could respond immediately when students needed us most.

Moments like the January fires reminded us that stability goes far beyond food. With your continued support, we strengthened our Closet Initiative to meet these broader needs, distributing more than $300,000 worth of essentials, including toiletries, bedding, clothing, and hygiene kits. As we continued to listen to our students, it became clear that our program was missing a vital layer of support for our student parents. Recognizing this need, we launched new services that provide diapers, clothing, school supplies, and age-appropriate items, ensuring that caregivers have reliable access to the resources they need to stay focused on their education and remain on the path to graduation.

Expanding Public Awareness

As our programs continued to grow, we reached an important milestone when Chrissy Teigen and her company, Cravings, invested in our mission. Their financial and in-kind support, paired with their genuine commitment to our work, strengthened our ability to expand services for students across Los Angeles. Chrissy and her team visited campuses, met with students, and used their platform to spotlight the realities of college hunger. This level of endorsement brought national visibility to our cause and underscored the vital role our programs play in higher education. Moments like this move our mission forward and help shape what is possible for Student LunchBox.

Chrissy Teigen and students capture a joyful moment at the Student LunchBox Mobile Market event in collaboration with CSU Long Beach.

Students smiling and selecting items at the Student LunchBox Mobile Market event, enjoying a day of community and fresh produce under sunny skies.

Los Angeles: The Giving List 2026 showcases the spirit of philanthropy and community support, with a spotlight on organizations like Student LunchBox that are making significant contributions.

Building on this momentum, Student LunchBox was also honored to be featured in The Giving List by the Montecito Journal. This publication reaches more than 30,000 influential changemakers across LA County. This recognition reflects the growing visibility of our mission. It offers an important opportunity to broaden our outreach to potential donors and partners who are learning about our work for the first time.

Advancing Our Mission Through Collaboration and Growth

All these milestones strengthened our foundation and helped us reach new levels of impact. Ourpartnerships with campuses continued to grow, new student ambassadors joined our efforts, and we launched a more thoughtful evaluation process to better understand student needs. As a result, our core work has expanded significantly. Although the year is not yet complete, we estimate that Student LunchBox has served over 132,000 student participants in 2025, including more than 34,000 unduplicated students across seventeen campuses. This reflects both rising student need and the growing effectiveness of our model. Final verified data will be available in early 2026, and we will share it with you along with our annual financial statements and full impact report.

Thousands of student voices shaped our programs through surveys, interviews, and ongoing assessments. Students consistently share that our services improve their financial stability, mental and physical health, and ability to remain enrolled and focused. These results reflect the power of a community that believes in Student LunchBox's mission and stands beside students as they work toward a better future.

Together We Rise

Two students with skateboards and an e-scooter stand in front of the Student LunchBox van, which is dedicated to addressing food insecurity among college students.

As we look back on this remarkable year, we are filled with pride for the students who lead beside us. Every week, more than 100 student volunteers give their time, strength, and compassion to ensure their peers have the support they need. Their commitment is the heartbeat of our work. As we honor our fifth year, we remember how this journey began with two campuses and fewer than 3,000 students. 

Today, Student LunchBox has become a trusted lifeline for tens of thousands and a model of sustainable support in higher education. None of this growth would have been possible without you. Your belief in our mission has carried us forward at every step. Thank you for standing with us, for uplifting our students, and for helping create a future where every student has the stability, dignity, and opportunity to thrive.

At your service,

Karlen Nurijanyan

Founde | CEO