San Diego City College Enactus reopened the food pantry on campus in February.
Students will be able to pick up a “care package” stocked primarily with canned goods and granola bars once a week, instead of twice a month, which was the case under a previous administration.
The San Diego City College Enactus Food Empowerment and Sustainability Center, as the pantry is called, is run by Enactus. It’s an international non-profit organization whose City College chapter partners with the business department to build student entrepreneurial skills.
“You don’t have be with CalWorks (food stamp program), vet status, homeless status. You just have to hungry,” stated Chere Smith, a communication major who oversees the food pantry.
In addition to providing students with food, the staff will offer budget-management information. The aim is to provide them assistance with using their own resources and stretch their dollars.
“We do not want to discourage people from coming … we just want to give them resources. You don’t have to use them,” explained Smith.
It is also clear that the students who visit are a diverse bunch.
“There are some homeless,” said Kim Volm, a small business management major who works with the food pantry. “But the majority are just struggling and we give them a supplement.”
Most of the food in the pantry is from a food drive held at Stomper’s grocery store in Point Loma. There are plans to hold more food drives at City College and reach out to clubs for assistance.
The Uprising Club, a campus Christian club seeking to give students the means to live up to their full potential, has already stepped up. The club plans to donate food, and has pledged an initial $200, plus an additional $100 per month to support the operation. The Associated Student Government, for its part, has made a $100 donation.
The pantry plans use these funds to start providing students with the means for “mini grocery shopping,” Smith said.
Food will be distributed Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room A16. Students are limited to one visit per week and must present a student ID when requesting food.
