Cypress, NOCCCD Collaborate with Pathways of Hope To Support Students with Food, Housing Insecurities
Cypress College, Fullerton College and North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) have partnered with Pathways of Hope to increase services for North Orange County’s students struggling with food and housing insecurity at each of the three schools.
The North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) and Pathways of Hope launched this partnership on July 1, 2019. Through the partnership, Pathways of Hope will operate and scale up existing food banks at Cypress College, Fullerton College, and establish a new food bank at NOCE’s Anaheim Campus. Pathways of Hope staff will operate food and resource hubs at each site where students may receive food and hygiene products for free, as well as housing referral services.
“Many of our students do not have the security of knowing where their next meal will come from or where they will sleep at night. As educators committed to student success, we are compelled to expand our support services more than ever before,” said NOCCCD Chancellor Cheryl Marshall. “By partnering with Pathways of Hope, an established and reputable community-based organization, we are much better prepared to address the needs of our students.”
Fifty percent of California community college students experience food insecurity, according to a recent survey of 57 colleges in the state. Local data mirrors this staggering statewide trend, according to the #RealCollege survey conducted by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University.
Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling has worked with Pathways of Hope since her arrival at the campus and has served as a leader on the Community College League of California’s Affordability, Food & Housing Access Taskforce, as well as the OC United Way Leadership Council on Homelessness.
“I am excited by the increased support that our partnership with Pathways of Hope delivers to our students. The expanded capacity in our food pantry provides both help and hope to students who are in extreme need,” she said.
Cypress College had more than 1,100 students participate in the #RealCollege survey; the results showed that 44.2 percent of participating students reported having experienced food insecurity, 55.5 percent experienced housing insecurity, and 13.7 percent experienced homelessness. At Fullerton College, 900 students participated in the survey. Fifty percent of respondents were food insecure in the prior 30 days; 61 percent of respondents were housing insecure in the previous year; and 17 percent of respondents were homeless in the previous year. At NOCE, results indicated that 45.5 percent of respondents experienced food insecurity, 68.5 percent experienced housing insecurity, and 15.3 percent experienced homelessness.
“We know that student hunger and homelessness have been a significant problem on our college campuses for some time. We believe utilizing our expertise in these areas to assist our students on college campuses helps improve stability, academic outcomes, and the quality of life for everyone. This is aligned with Pathways of Hope’s mission completely, and we look forward to expanding this partnership and adding other partnerships in the years to come,” said Pathways of Hope Executive Director David Gillanders, Jr.
In 2017-2018, the State Hunger-Free Campus initiative, backed by Senate Bill 85, created a funding stream and a regulatory avenue for community colleges to provide staffing and food banks for students. The District will utilize $197,800 in one-time funding to contract services with Pathways of Hope during the 2019-2020 academic year to provide services for the three schools.
The CEOs at each —Valentina Purtell at NOCE, JoAnna Schilling at Cypress, and Greg Schulz at Fullerton —campus agree on the value of this partnership stating:
“Our campus food banks and other on-campus, grassroots efforts have served our students to the best of our ability. But with such a tremendous need, we are thankful for the expertise brought by Pathways of Hope and what this means to our students at Cypress, Fullerton, and NOCE, whose ability to continue their education is so significantly undermined by their struggle to meet their daily needs.”
Gillanders, Jr. is equally eager to help students.
“For 44 years Pathways of Hope have been experts in assisting North Orange County community members experiencing hunger and homelessness. This targeted approach on college campuses allows us to zero in on a particular population that needs ongoing support to ensure academic success and stability,” said Gillanders, Jr.
For more information on Pathways of Hope, visit www.pohoc.orgor contact Development Manager Mychael Blinde at 714-680-3691 ext. 233 or mblinde@pohoc.org.
NOCCCD Background:
Two of the state’s premier colleges and most extensive continuing education program combine to provide the quality educational programming of the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD). Nearly 56,000 students enroll each term at Cypress College, Fullerton College, and North Orange Continuing Education. College students are able to shape their futures in programs leading to associate degrees, vocational certificates, and transfer opportunities. Life-long learning also is possible in continuing education programs that range from high school completion and basic skills mastery through an array of vocational training and self-development courses. The NOCCCD campuses serve an area of over one million diverse people –each pursuing their own, unique ambitions.
About Cypress College:
Cypress College offers students a pathway to their future in an environment in which employees commit to joining students on their educational journey. The college’s half-million-plus alumni include actors, athletes, doctors, executives, mechanics, nurses, and teachers. For some, Cypress College is the ticket into their university of choice, and for others, it provides essential training for a prosperous career. Just one Cypress College class is often all it takes to provide cutting-edge skills that lead to a promotion or a new job.
Cypress College’s 16,000 students and the highly qualified teaching faculty are proud of the many excellent academic and vocational programs. Cypress College offers 56 university-transfer majors, 176 career-certificate programs, and degrees in 73 areas of study. The college’s traditional semesters begin in January and August, while short-term courses start throughout the year. A Cypress College education costs $46 per unit — $138 for a typical, full-credit class — California’s lowest tuition. Financial aid and scholarships are also available to qualifying students.
Cypress College is one of three campuses in the North Orange County Community College District and a member of the 115-campus California Community College system. The college primarily serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and Stanton.
Located at 9200 Valley View Street in Cypress, the college is easily accessible from several Southern California freeways, including the 5, 91, 605, 22, and 405. The campus is just a stone’s-throw from Downtown Disney and Knott’s Berry Farm.
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