our mission:
To raise awareness and funds for food and housing insecurity organizations in New Haven.
The Yale Hunger and Homeless Action Project Fast is YHHAP’s largest fundraiser of the year, and the largest student-run fundraiser on Yale’s campus. Once every semester, over 50% of the Yale student body donates their Yale Dining meal swipes for the day of the YHHAP Fast ahead of time. During the Fast, students forego their usual dining hall meal and eat out, often at one of the locally owned New Haven businesses that sponsor the Fast through in-kind food donations, lump sums, or student discounts during the Fast.
The monetary equivalent of these unused swipes in addition to donations from the Yale and New Haven communities usually total to over $10,000 raised each semester. A successful Fast is critical for a successful YHHAP, and the fundraiser depends entirely on the support and participation of the broader Yale and New Haven community.
YHHAP donates 100% of the funds raised to organizations fighting for food and housing justice in New Haven. In Fall 2024, proceeds from the YHHAP Fast supported Witnesses to Hunger, Amistad House, the Food In Service to the Homebound Thanksgiving Drive, and Sunrise Cafe.
How to donate:
To donate your meal swipes, go to yub.yale.edu → Dining → YHHAP → Opt-in to donate swipes. You can also donate to YHHAP’s venmo, @yale-yhhap.
Yhhap 2025-2026 fast UPDATE
On behalf of the entire YHHAP Team, we appreciate your patience as we work to maintain this long-standing tradition and partnership. Due to changes introduced this semester, this year’s Fast will be happening exclusively in the Spring 2026 semester. We are happy to announce that this year’s Fast will continue with meal-swipe donations and point donations, as well as direct monetary contributions, to support food security organizations in New Haven. Over the donation period of March 4th-6th, students will be able to donate their meal swipes for March 6th, or donate meal points in increments of 5, 10, or 25.
If you are interested in joining this year’s Fast team to coordinate outreach efforts and manage partnerships, please fill out the interest form here by Friday, October 24th.
The Fast would not be possible without student-led efforts, and we thank you again for your patience and support.
How to get involved:
Sign up to donate your meal swipes for the Fast!
For any student passionate about community engagement and the welfare of New Haven, volunteering with the YHHAP Fast is one of the easiest and most impactful commitments to make. Before the Fast, volunteers are needed over a period of 3-4 weeks, and for only 2 hours a week at the absolute maximum. These volunteers spread the word about the YHHAP Fast and recruit as many local partners as possible, as donors and sponsors must commit a week before the Fast. YHHAP Fast volunteers also encourage Yale students to join the fundraiser, and have the opportunity to lead initiatives centered around participant recruitment. Leading up to the Fast, volunteers perform key outreach to all our local New Haven and Yale stakeholders. And finally, on the day of the Fast, volunteers are needed throughout the day as promoters for the event at tables around campus.
If you are interested in helping with the Fast, please email the Fast Coordinators, Kate Johnson (kate.johnson@yale.edu) and Isabella Barboza-Rodriguez (isabella.barboza-rodriguez@yale.edu)!