On Wednesday, November 13, Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) will partner with Canvas Credit Union to fully fund the school's campus food pantries. This initiative is to address the food insecurity issue that college students are facing. The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) campus saw triple the number of students using the campus's food pantries, this Fall semester. The partnership between PPSC and Canvas Credit Union began with identifying food insecurity as one of the biggest education barriers. We have tragically seen many students forced to pause or even drop out, not because of a lack of desire or ability but because of financial hardship. Food insecurity or the inability to cover required expenses such as textbooks can feel like insurmountable barriers to those students living on the economic edge. At PPSC, 32 percent of students hold a veteran status, and the school largely supports a nontraditional age demographic. Canvas will also be providing grants to help student veterans pay for textbooks. PPSC and Canvas will focus on funding the pantries on all three of the school's campuses, to support students in their educational goals. ____Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.