Two years ago, Jaime Lechner began a mission to make Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) resources more accessible for students at Niagara University because she realized how difficult it was to find the resources herself.

“When I was going through this, trying to make the resource two years ago during the summer, I was on the phone for three hours trying to get this information so I can make the resource to bring to Niagara University,” Lechner said. “In the age of technology, where we're at right now, it should be easily accessible [and] understandable. And it's not. So I wanted to change that.”

What You Need To Know

  • Jaime Lechner, a Niagara University senior, has drafted a bill that would address the issue of college student food insecurity and is working to get it introduced in the New York state Legislature

  • The bill is called the "SNAP for Students Act" and would require the state to make an informational resource on SNAP for college students, and require that the state, and the institutions of higher education the students are enrolled in, to let them know that, as a student, they may be eligible for SNAP benefits

  • The bill would not have any effect on the budget, it does not change anything with SNAP enrollment and would use existing information channels to conduct outreach to students

She realized that students across New York state could benefit from having resources that outlined the eligibility requirements to qualify for SNAP.

“I took a trip a couple of years ago to D.C. with one of the departments on campus, a lobbying-type trip, and one of the bills would have required the Department of Agriculture to work with the Department of Education at the federal level to notify students they'd be eligible for SNAP," she said.

"When she came home and talked about that, it was, 'well, you know, this could happen at the state level.' It doesn't just have to happen at the federal level,” said Jamie Pimlott, associate professor and chair at the Department of Political Science for Niagara University. 

So, Lechner got to work creating the “SNAP for Students Act,” which would require the state to make informational resources on student eligibility for SNAP, provide digital versions to colleges and universities and require them to let students know they may be eligible for SNAP. 

“I drafted the bill and then I had to do a boatload of research. Everything from identifying potential legislators who may be willing to introduce it, finding out how many colleges are in their districts, how many students are in their districts and just really trying to measure the impact,” said Lechner. 

And her hard work paid off.

Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest introduced the bill and was its prime sponsor in the New York state Assembly. The bill is now being introduced in the New York state Senate by Sen. Robert Jackson and co-sponsored by Sen. Patricia Fahy.

“Colleges and universities want to make the assumption they want to help their students to be successful and have the energy and the means to get a good education. And that's what this is about,” said Jackson.

The resource Lechner created for her own school outlines things like who can apply, how to apply and student eligibility requirements. She wants other schools to do the same.

“It can benefit people just in general with it because if people do not know about SNAP, their parents might not know about it either,” she said.

Lechner is hopeful lawmakers will pass the bill next legislative session.

“It doesn't impact the budget. We're not arguing for expanded eligibility or anything like that. But, you know, information is power. And so it might lead you to research other things,” Pimlott said. 

“I’m just really happy it's coming to fruition like this," Lechner said. "I was hoping to get it introduced in one chamber before the session. And so the fact I got it in both is amazing."