Kennedy-King College on Chicago’s South Side has unveiled its newly redesigned Statesmen Market, a free on-campus food market created to support students facing food insecurity while attending college, according to CBS Chicago.
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Located inside the V Building at Kennedy-King College, the Statesmen Market replaces the school’s former food pantry with a more welcoming, grocery-store-style experience. Students can access fresh produce, frozen meals, snacks, and essential household items like hygiene and laundry supplies — all at no cost.
The goal of the market is to remove barriers that often prevent students from focusing on their education. By offering a dignified and stigma-free way to access food and necessities, the college hopes to ensure students don’t have to choose between eating and staying enrolled.
The Statesmen Market is part of the Food Security for Life initiative, a partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The program aims to address hunger among college students across the city and provide consistent access to nutritious food.
With expanded hours and an upgraded layout, the market is designed to fit into students’ daily schedules, allowing them to stop in between classes without disruption.
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Kennedy-King College officials say the new market reflects a broader commitment to student wellness and academic success — proving that access to basic needs is essential to higher education.
