Saddleback College Food Bank aids those in need
Paying to get through life is a common struggle among most students at Saddleback College. You have to pay for classes, books, gas and housing (at least most of us do). Leaving most students with just little amounts of money for basic needs like groceries. Well if you did not know, you are about to.
The campus offers a community food bank the first and third Wednesday of every month during the semester from 10:30 am to 11:30 am giving students free groceries to those in need. Students meet at parking lot 1 near Culinary Arts building 3 where the bank offers a range of food items from fruits, vegetables,deli-style cheese, pre-packaged flip-top meals, peanut butter, canned tuna and chicken, eggs and bread.
Students must sign in once arrived at the food bank. The food bank does not require any income verification, students simply bring their own grocery bags and receive food items as needed/wanted.
Saddleback in 2013, partnered with Helping Hand Worldwide making it possible for students to receive the extra help they might need within the community. Jeanne Harris-Caldwell, Director of Health Services, is the person to thank in making arrangements for the Mobile Food Pantry to come to campus.
Helping Hand Worldwide is a non-profit corporation of individuals whose goal is to improve the community’s life by relieving those of hunger by providing a variety of healthy, wholesome foods for free. Sita Helms, founder and executive director of Helping Hand Worldwide, first started this organization when she noticed her neighbor needed medical attention including suffering from hunger. This was the start to a growing organization where much of the donations received comes from local groceries stores to local retailers. After many years of developing, Helping Hand Worldwide now has three refrigerated food trucks that provide for communities in 13 different locations in Orange County and two in Camp Pendleton.
On the morning the food bank is held, the mobile food trucks stop by partnered grocery stores to pick up fresh, nutritional food. Volunteers is what makes it possible for these food trucks to arrange all items for students to pick up. Their goal is to end hunger by serving the vulnerable.
According to Helping Hand Worldwide, Saddleback college provided food for 2,632 students who were in need in 2015.
Go take advantage of the community food bank, it is their to support and provide for those who can use a helping hand.
