New DoorDash Research Report Shows How Home Delivery Combats Food Insecurity for College Students

In the discussion around food insecurity, college students are sometimes left out of the conversation despite many facing this issue in their day-to-day lives. However, college students continue to face challenges accessing food as they pursue their degree.

Today, we're proud to release our latest research report, detailing how home delivery connects college and graduate students with the food they need to succeed.

This report examines how Project DASH, our initiative to empower food banks, food pantries, and other social impact organizations to deliver charitable food and essential items, has helped one of our student-serving partners serve 40-60 college students each month. To date, this partnership has delivered an estimated 3,000 meals to college students experiencing hunger.

We found that home delivery helped college students focus on their education while being able to support themselves and their families. Of the participating students we surveyed:

• 78% said that delivery helped them free up time for their studies;

• 78% also said that delivery helped them overcome transportation or mobility barriers;

• 50% said that delivery helped them feed other members of their family; and

• 40% of students had a job while they pursued their degree.
  

Our Project DASH partner is open for limited hours, so being able to reach students who were unable to get to the pantry during their operating hours was a clear priority. College students requesting home delivery apply for this service via an online form which can minimize the stigma associated with asking for help.

Initial interest in the service was overwhelming. Less than 24 hours after posting its first sign-up form, the partner had received about 150 responses. In their latest intake form, two-thirds of students applying for home delivery reported that they were not receiving any financial aid. Being able to reach students who are spread out across their service area was also crucial.

College students we spoke with expressed how delivery via Project DASH helps them accomplish their educational goals. Charlene, a second year undergraduate student, shared:

"Oftentimes I work on Saturdays and Sundays and during the week I have school or errands to run which means I'm not always available to go in person.

Without home delivery, getting the meals I need would have been harder, especially in the run up to finals when my schedule was incredibly crammed. During the weeks when I receive the delivery, I can do more schoolwork, I feel more productive. I can easily spend another 3 hours on my studies. For example, I had extra time to touch up on my renders for architecture in my core classes. Food delivery helped me raise my grade and produce more professional work."

You can read the full report here. Last year, DoorDash supported a report by the Urban Institute which also found that home delivery removed food access barriers for a variety of people - including students - by helping the majority (97.8 percent) of clients save money. This report also found that home delivery supported some clients in their ability to maintain work or attend school. Organizations interested in launching or expanding their home delivery of charitable food can contact us at [email protected].