By Madeleine Beck and Jason Gallardo
Special to The Daily Democrat
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for 2020-2021 would add $11.4 million to establish and support food pantries at community colleges in California.
Nearly all California community colleges with a physical campus — 109 out of 114 — have on-campus food pantries, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
If the budget were approved, each of the 114 community colleges with a physical campus in California would receive $100,000 to support on‑campus food pantries or distributions, the Analyst’s Office said.
Woodland Community College is one of the California community colleges with a food pantry, which can be used by students twice a month regardless of income.
“Students often have to make the choice between continuing their education or not based on non-tuition based expenses,” said Isabel Dueñas, the Student Outreach and Engagement Specialist at the college.
About 60 students use the food pantry every month at Woodland Community, Dueñas said. She added that students are told if they don’t get enough food from their pantry visits, they can come back more than twice.
Dueñas said that the added money from the budget would give the pantry more secure funding than the grants and donations they typically rely on now.
“Consistent support in the form of it being included in the future budget plan would ensure it is available to our students not only now but in the future, and can potentially expand,” Dueñas said.
Most California community college food pantries rely heavily on donations and only have part-time staff, according to the Analyst’s Office.
The College’s food pantry started when the student government, the Associated Students of
Woodland Community, rallied around the idea because of student need, Dueñas said.
“Overall we’ve seen that there is a need for it, students are grateful it’s there,” she noted.
She said the college wants to support students so they can successfully continue their education.
College students who use the food pantry expressed its importance to them.
“We are so focused on school and work, we don’t realize we need food,” said Eddie Armiso, a second-year student at the college. Armiso said he works 20 hours a week in addition to taking three classes.
Alyson Davenport, a college student and student government member, gets her food from the food bank because her husband is a disabled veteran who is unable to work.
“Sometimes the government doesn’t decide to pay us that month or messes up on our paperwork that happened this month,” Davenport said. “So this is really helpful because we had enough money to pay our bills but we didn’t have any extra money left over.”
The College also has events called “open markets” twice a month, which provide fresh produce, groceries, and other items for students, faculty, staff, and the community.
“We wanted there to be no stigma associated with it so everyone felt welcome to come participate and take what they need,” Dueñas said about the name “open market.”
These food distributions are very popular, she said.
“What we’ve seen so far is we start promptly at noon, and by 12:15 or 12:20 most of the food is gone,” she said.
Yolo Food Bank, which is partnered with Woodland Community College as well as Sacramento City College’s Davis and West Sacramento Centers, plays a big part by donating the food for the open markets as well as supporting these food pantries.
“Partnerships with the campuses have broadened options for free food access, placed an emphasis on fresh foods and fruits and vegetables, and removed potential barriers to access by offering food in campus settings readily available to all students,” said Joy Cohan, director of Philanthropic Engagement for Yolo Food Bank.
The Analyst’s Office recommends that the budget also encourage colleges to assist students in registering with the CalFresh food stamp program in addition to helping food pantries.
This story is part of a collaborative project between the Daily Democrat and seniors in the journalism program at California State University, Sacramento. For more information about the program visit facebook.com/sacstatejournalism.
