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Millions of college students across the United States face food insecurity and struggle to afford basic necessities while pursuing higher education. Research shows that approximately 30% of college students experience food insecurity, with rising tuition, housing costs, and food availability being key factors. This challenge has been proven to impact students’ academic performance, health, and overall well-being, and many students are forced to choose between paying for tuition and paying for groceries.
In response to this issue, Hope Villages of America is taking proactive steps to address food insecurity among college students. The nonprofit organization has partnered with St. Petersburg University (SPC) to stock the campus food pantry. On Thursday, Hope Villages delivered 100 boxes of non-perishable food to St. Petersburg University’s Health Education Center campus in Pinellas Park. The campus serves as a hub for a partnership with Hope Villages of Amelia (HVA), distributing food at various SPC campus sites. In town.
“In 2018, we created a grassroots movement for food pantries because we knew our population was growing. [experiencing] food insecurity,” said Tara Newsome, SPC professor and director of the university’s Center for Civic Learning and Community Engagement. “Our own SPC community tried to populate there, but we couldn’t keep up with the demand. When Hope Villages partnered with us, SPC is all about open access to education, and Hope Villages is about putting proper food nutrition on everyone’s plate, so it really was a perfect collaboration.”
Melvin Thomas, America’s Hope Village senior vice president of operations, said the nonprofit initially partnered with SPC to host a mobile food pantry, with trucks serving SPC students, faculty, and the community. He said he carried a lot of groceries.
“They were kind of a pilot for us to see how we would implement that program, and it became very integral to our COVID-19 response,” Thomas said. he said. “There’s something invisible about food insecurity. Food insecurity can happen in any home, and I don’t mean like in third world countries where people see it on TV. It’s about people worrying about their next meal. It means there’s no guarantee of where it’s going to come from. So they need that support, but the reality is that things can happen that lead to food insecurity. That’s definitely the case with COVID-19. has taught us that people are not okay and neither are we.”
All of SPC’s food pantries are open to the public and vary in size and amount of food stocked, but the pantries are so crowded and heavily used that the university recently Hired full-time staff.
The food pantry at St. Petersburg University’s Center for Health Education offers take-home non-perishable foods and a refrigerator stocked with yogurt, ready-to-eat meals, and more.
Newsom and Thomas said key elements of food pantry programs include canned fruits and vegetables, boxed foods, and nonperishable products in a way that avoids shame and allows people using the pantry to maintain dignity during difficult times. You agree to provide.
“That access creates trust, and that trust allows our communities to want to go to school, because we have access to the path to completion, the building of skills, and the ability to ensure that path. They know and trust that we have partners at the table with them to help them work and add value to their communities,” Newsom said. Told.
“This is a safety network that we all provide to our communities. None of us can meet all the needs on our own,” Thomas added. “If people using the pantry need additional support, our partnership will allow people at SPC to access services provided by Hope Villages of America. We can support the career development and education of the people we meet so they can land well-paying jobs.”
The collaboration between Hope Villages of America and St. Petersburg University also alleviates the food insecurity challenges faced by many people in the surrounding area. Newsom said the SPC Health Education Center campus is adjacent to the Lealman neighborhood, a historically underserved Pinellas County incorporated community where data shows 28% of the population lives in poverty. He pointed out that he was doing it.
SPC’s campus food pantry is so crowded that the college recently hired full-time staff to restock shelves and provide additional support resources to students.
“Incomes are not keeping up with the increasing costs of caring for family members,” she says. “There are a lot of people who moved to this area without knowing how expensive it would be. In our downtown hub, we see a lot of young students moving from other states and finding themselves overwhelmed by the high cost of living. The services that Hope Village provides to our students and the entire SPC family are important because we can’t do that and we can’t be providers in that way. We can’t just be a conduit. You can do it, and you can also create a path.”
The growing commitment between St. Petersburg College and Hope Villages of America demonstrates the power of collaboration in supporting the holistic needs of college students and fostering an environment where all individuals have opportunities to thrive, regardless of their economic circumstances. is emphasized. Through initiatives like these, HVA and SPC leaders are coming together as organizations to explore how combining resources and networks of care can address systemic challenges and help all residents reach their full potential. I want to provide an example of how you can build a path that can be done.
Learn more about SPC’s food pantry program online. here Or call us at 727-341-3322. To see a list of food distribution centers and other support resources offered by America’s Hope Villages, please visit: hopevillagesofamerica.org Or call us at 727-584-3528.
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