CSU senior Hannah Mow knows what it’s like to be hungry – and how hunger can impact your every waking moment.

“There were a lot of times when I didn’t have anything to eat, so I would just go to bed so I didn’t have to think about being hungry,” said Mow, a senior English major from Greeley. “I was close to dropping out of school because I was always worrying about food.”

Enter Rams Against Hunger, the incredibly impactful, donor-supported program that provides meal swipes to students in need, providing them with a nutritious meal each day. Rams Against Hunger, established in 2014, has helped more than 1,000 students and provided more than 77,000 meals.

Feeding student success

The impact of the program goes well beyond providing food for hungry students.

“We know that students who receive support from RAH are more likely to have higher GPAs, stay in school, and make it to graduation than students who are on our waiting list,” said Thea Rounsaville, CSU’s assistant director of annual giving. “It’s an amazing program that makes a big impact.”

Changing a life

Mow, a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the national collegiate community service organization, can certainly attest to that. She works two jobs and gets help from the Food Bank for Larimer County, but still had trouble keeping food on the table.

“Rams Against Hunger made it easier for me to focus in my classes because I’m not always worrying about food,” she said. “I wish every student could get this kind of help. Being able to count on that one meal each day helps me stay on track. And now I don’t go to bed hungry.”

Rounsaville said 94 percent of Rams Against Hunger recipients are Colorado residents, and 77 percent are – like Mow – first-generation college students. While the program has seen significant growth, with more than 4,000 donors providing over $438,000 in funding, there are still nearly 200 students on the waiting list – which means 200 students are going hungry while trying to succeed at CSU.

Help a Ram on Giving Tuesday

You can donate to Rams Against Hunger any time, but CSU’s annual Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27 is a perfect opportunity to change a student’s life – and thanks to a generous donor, you can double your impact: All gifts to Rams Against Hunger on Giving Tuesday will be matched up to $25,000. A $14 donation provides two meals; $35 provides a week of meals; $140 provides a month of meals.