Some students walk into class wondering about their grades. Jahmarley Irving walks in wondering what he’ll eat.

“I rely on the pantry 1000 percent,” Irving said.

When SNAP stalled during the shutdown, the stress at home showed up fast.

“The shutdown took a lot from me and my family,” he said.

Medgar Evers College created the Transitional Academy after discovering some students weren’t just hungry — they were homeless.

It’s a one-stop support center meant to help students without forcing them to repeat their trauma across multiple offices.

“The Transitional Academy was created to try to minimize them having to tell their story,” Director Waleek Boone said.

From that came Cougar Country Pantry, one of 25 CUNY pantries. Students shop once a week for free. The Food Bank of New York City

See Full Page