Hudson County Community College (HCCC) will hold the official opening of its Journal Square Campus food pantry in Jersey City this coming Tuesday. The pantry, which was renovated and stocked with funding from the HCCC Foundation, will house nonperishable food items for students and members of the college community. A second pantry will open on the HCCC North Hudson Campus – 4800 Kennedy Boulevard in Union City – on April 9
Food insecurity among college students is pervasive, and a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that up to 50 percent of the nation’s community college students experience food insecurity. Further, reports estimate that more than one out of ten of the nation’s college students is homeless. Even though a higher percentage of students from low-income homes are enrolling in college, the number of students whose households face poverty has increased.
“It is devastating to know that any member of the HCCC community may be struggling with a lack of food, and we hope that this food pantry will ease and eliminate any hunger and food insecurity that may exist among the campus population,” notes Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. David Clark, who has provided leadership for the project.
According to HCCC President Dr. Chris Reber, “This food pantry is a labor of love. It is a collaboration of our students, faculty, staff and Foundation Board members. We are working to dispel any stigma by making the pantry as friendly, welcoming and discreet as possible.”
Donations of nonperishable food items, personal care products, and household paper goods will be accepted at 2 Enos Place, Room J002, on the College’s Journal Square Campus and at the Enrollment Services Center on the North Hudson Campus (4800 Kennedy Boulevard in Union City).
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