More Help is Available for CA Community College Students

Times are hard. We know that Chinese families may be struggling to make ends meet, and that going to college to get a higher education degree or certification may seem unachievable. But it doesn’t have to be.

To encourage students to pursue a higher education and achieve their dreams, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office is offering a variety of new programs to help the 1.8 million students enrolled who may be hungry, homeless, and/or struggling to pay their bills. By providing students with support beyond the classroom to ensure their basic needs are met, students and families can prioritize college and the opportunities students can achieve after they graduate. This is an amazing opportunity we want our community to know so that they can take advantage of it.

Support services include:

• Addressing housing insecurities: California community colleges are being awarded funds to construct affordable, on-campus student housing via the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program, easing financial tensions while building stronger campus communities conducive to student success. In addition, 14 college districts have been awarded 3-year grants of up to $700,000 annually through the College Homeless and Housing Insecure Pilot Program for rapid rehousing programs.
• Expanding access to CalFresh benefits: A recently-passed state law removes barriers and is making it easier for college students to secure the CalFresh hunger-relief program. Several colleges are aligning and removing barriers to access across their basic needs initiatives, one of 20 strategies recommended in the Affordable Student Housing Taskforce Report & Recommendations approved by the Board of Governors at its January 23 board meeting.
• Focusing on campus food pantries: California community colleges serve some of the state’s most vulnerable populations, which is why virtually all campuses offer free grocery items and gift cards to students who don’t have enough to eat. Colleges also work with county food banks for regularly scheduled, on-campus food distributions.
• Offering holistic student services: The commitment to student success includes transportation vouchers and programs such as NextUp for current and former foster youth; mental health counseling; the CalWORKS public assistance program for families raising children; Veterans Resource Centers; Immigrant Legal Services; childcare centers; and more.

I’m happy to share more information about basic needs services, connect you with an expert from the Chancellor’s Office, or a student or administrator from your local community college if you would like an in-person interview. More information about basic needs is also available on the basic needs section of ICanGoToCollege.com.