Sacramento City College opens basic needs center to combat housing, food insecurity
Sacramento City College held the grand opening of its Panther Cares Center, a multi-use center that provides basic need support for its community college students.
Available to all students at the college, the center is located on the institution’s main campus and provides food distribution, textbook assistance, housing support, access to emergency grants and a laptop lending program.
“It’s just going to be a staple of what we do here,” said Albert Garcia, president of Sacramento City College. “We feel it’s our obligation. How can we really be educating (students) if they’re not in a good, physical situation to take advantage of the classes?”
Food insecurity and homelessness are often prevalent among community college students, said Victoria Austin, regional director of philanthropy for the college.
“The cost of rent has gone up, and our students really struggle to make ends meet,” Austin said. “So this program is really important to make sure that we’re meeting those needs.”
Fifty percent of California community college students surveyed by the California Community Colleges said they experienced food insecurity. More than half of the students said they worry about running out of food, with 41% skipping meals or cutting back due to financial burdens.
When facing a multitude of barriers, like food or housing insecurity, Garcia said the center seeks to provide students a boost in receiving resources.
“They have housing needs, they have food needs, all the different kinds of bills that we pay as people,” Garcia said. “They’ve got those needs, whether they be a full time student or part time student.”
The center houses a food pantry, which receives funds to buy groceries through a grant and a monthly delivery from the Sacramento food bank. Students are allowed to pick 10 items a week, said Linda Delgadillo, the center’s supervisor.
The center’s creation
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, community college enrollment plummeted statewide. Many students lost their jobs and were affected economically, with some having to drop out of school altogether. Even in the shutdown’s aftermath, they continue to face barriers, Delgadillo said. In a study by the Legislative Analyst’s Office, more than 65% of California community college students reported experiencing housing insecurity.
“Even after the pandemic, our community, including our students, lost their jobs, they were evicted. All that crisis was happening, yet they wanted to stay in school,” Delgadillo said. “Even if they were living in their car, they wanted to finish school so they can get a better wage. So, we hope this can do something to keep them in school.”
Students can access emergency housing consultations, where Panther Cares staff connect them with hotel vouchers. The center provides emergency grants for students who are enrolled in a minimum of 6 units, have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and have a proof of emergency.
Before the center had a physical space to host its services, many of its resources were operated out of a cubicle since 2021, said Delgadillo. The center unofficially opened and began operating in July.
The center is funded by state funding and donations from various organizations, according to a news release. Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, also allocated $2.4 million in the 2019’s state budget to create the center and expansion of the City College’s Veterans Resource Center.
“It’s hard for students to succeed,” McCarty said. “It’s not just paying for tuition...it’s for books and housing, it’s transportation and food, so this is going to make sure this equation is less of an issue for student success right here in this community college.”
This story was originally published October 30, 2024 at 12:12 PM.
