Kennedy-King College Opened Free Student Grocery Market
The Statesmen Market began providing free food and essential items to students and their families in February 2026.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Healthy Food
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Kennedy-King College opened the Statesmen Market in February 2026 to offer free food and household supplies to students in Chicago. The market is designed to function like a standard grocery store to help address high rates of student food insecurity.
Why it matters
The initiative aims to combat food insecurity among college students while reducing the stigma often associated with emergency food pantries. It serves as a pilot for a broader network-wide effort to support student welfare.
The Statesmen Market receives a weekly supply of 4,000 pounds of food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Students are limited to visiting the facility located at 6301 S. Halsted St once per week.
The players
Kennedy-King College
This educational institution is part of the City Colleges of Chicago network and serves a diverse student body in the Englewood neighborhood.
City Colleges of Chicago
This public community college system serves 66,000 students across the city and launched the Food Security for Life initiative.
Greater Chicago Food Depository
This nonprofit organization serves as the primary food bank for the Chicago area and supplies the market with weekly food donations.
The details
The market features aisles, shopping carts, and baskets to replicate a traditional retail experience rather than a standard food bank. Students utilize an online ordering system to select specific items and quantities from the pantry's warehouse to support their household needs.
Timeline
In 2024, City Colleges of Chicago surveyed students regarding food insecurity.
City Colleges launched the Food Security for Life initiative in 2025.
The Statesmen Market opened at Kennedy-King College in February 2026.
Culture Shift
The transition toward campus-based grocery models reflects a growing effort to integrate basic needs support directly into the educational environment. This shift moves beyond traditional emergency food assistance to address the systemic challenges faced by college populations.
Students at Kennedy-King College can supplement their household food supplies through weekly visits to the market. The convenience of an online ordering system allows students to manage their personal budgets and access specific goods effectively.
The takeaway
By normalizing access to free food through a grocery-style experience, the institution is working to ensure students can focus on their studies without the burden of food insecurity. This model provides a blueprint for other urban campuses aiming to improve student retention and general wellness.
Further reading
Learn more about local efforts to improve access to fresh food in the Chicago Healthy Food section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Star.
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Do you believe colleges should prioritize providing free grocery-style food markets for their students?
