New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

A purple sketch illustration of a sad girl. In the background are the words “Meal Swipes: 0” written repeatedly.

Opinion: NYU must stop heavily relying on student generosity to provide food security

Instead of depending on Swipe it Forward, the university should take responsibility for addressing food insecurity on campus.
Mehr Kotval, Contributing Writer April 17, 2024

NYU’s meal swipe donation program, Swipe it Forward, is at best a token gesture toward solving food insecurity. The program, which relies on students with meal plans to...

A white and purple N.Y.U. flag and a purple banner that says N.Y.U. Steinhardt is placed side by side on a building wall.

Guest Essay: Steinhardt USG launches food pantry

Tanisha Thakkar is the president of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development’s Undergraduate Student Government.
Tanisha Thakkar, Guest Contributor February 29, 2024

Guest essays reflect opinions from writers beyond WSN. If you’d like to submit a guest essay for consideration, please email [email protected]. Imagine juggling classes,...

The close-up shot of a hand scanning an NYU ID card above a card reader.

Opinion: Swipe it Forward is taking a step backward

The program aimed at helping food-insecure students has always had its issues, but instead of resolving them, NYU has made the program even less accessible.
Molly Koch, Opinion Editor September 29, 2023

The student government's Swipe it Forward program is one of the few resources for food-insecure students on campus, allowing those with meal plans to donate extra meal swipes to...

A student’s hand holding an N.Y.U. I.D. card up to a dining hall entrance scanner.

Swipe it Forward expands to include 4 additional dining halls

Bruna Horvath and Adrianna Nehme January 26, 2023

Students can now donate meal swipes at four additional dining hall locations through Swipe it Forward, the Student Government Assembly’s meal swipe donation program. The program...

An illustration of a teal crocheted grocery shopping bag on a light orange background. Inside the bag is a bundle of three bananas, a head of broccoli, a triangular block of cheese, a small carton of milk, a baguette, a plastic bag with pasta inside and a jar of red pasta sauce.

Opinion: NYU’s food security initiatives are inadequate

NYU students make countless sacrifices to attend the university, but a meal should never be one. Food-insecure students deserve autonomy.
Shamon Lawrence, Deputy Opinion Editor December 1, 2022

On a recent Tuesday, while waiting in line to check out at the Palladium dining hall, I overheard a student quietly ask the cashier if they could use the Swipe it Forward program....

A hand holding an N.Y.U. identity card up to a dining hall entrance scanner.

Student gov’t deliberates Swipe it Forward, temporary visas and ICE event

NYU’s Student Government Assembly provided Swipe it Forward updates, debated temporary student visas and more at its meeting on Thursday, Nov. 3.
Yezen Saadah, Staff Writer November 7, 2022

NYU’s Swipe it Forward program — a food donation system that allows students to request a free meal swipe at select dining halls — has received 470 donations since its start...

On an easel, a poster with a dark purple background reads in pink font: “Donate up to 3 meal swipes per day at the following dining halls.” Below in white font, one under the other, it reads: “Downstein, Jasper Kane Cafe, Kosher Eatery, Marketplace at Kimmel, NYU Eats at Lipton, Peet’s Coffee, Palladium, NYU Eats at Third North.” Next to the easel the door of Kimmel Marketplace is open and a dining hall worker is seen in the back.

Opinion: NYU’s Swipe it Forward meal donation program could be great

The meal swipe donation program aims to combat food insecurity in our community, but its inconsistency and confusing logistics are hindering its potential.
Holly Kase, Contributing Writer April 7, 2022

We live in an expensive city, which means eating doesn’t come cheap. A 2019 NYU study surveyed 257 NYU students and found that 41% were experiencing food insecurity. That’s...

A hand holding a New York University I.D. up to a dining hall entrance scanner.

Swipe it Forward meal donation program returns to dining halls

Students can once again ask for a free meal swipe at select NYU dining halls after the Swipe it Forward program resumed on Feb. 21.
Arnav Binaykia, Deputy Managing Editor February 23, 2022

Swipe it Forward, a food donation program that allows any student to ask for a free meal swipe at select NYU dining halls, resumed on Feb. 21. The program, run in collaboration...

Swipe it Forward is a program where students can donate their extra meal swipes to other students. But recently, the program has struggled to collect enough student meal swipes to support the increasing number of students who are using the program. (Photo by Naomi Mirny)

Students use NYU’s free meal programs, but not enough donate

The student-led Swipe it Forward program struggles to collect enough donations to support students experiencing food insecurity.
Maria Freyre, Staff Writer December 9, 2021

Since its launch in 2019, Swipe it Forward — a program where students can donate their extra meal swipes to be used by others — has provided access to free meals to those facing...