Glendale Community College’s care program, GCC CARES, is a basic needs center on campus that is able to provide students in need with goods and services,  such as transportation, housing, food, and  utilities, and help address other issues that might interfere with one’s education. Since the program began six years ago, student need has been the top priority for GCC CARES. However in the more recent years, that necessity for school funded relief has increased.

One of the largest programs that GCC CARES provides is the Food Pantry. Prior to the pandemic, a study was conducted to find out how many students across state-wide community colleges were in need of basic securities. The study found that at least 60% of students were lacking in one area or another. The study also found that 33% of those students did not have access to enough food.

Beyond that, our present economy is contributing to the increasing amount of hardship affecting students across the country. Inflation has caused the price of food to rise, leading to a larger demand for food pantries. Pantry staples, such as oil, rice, and canned foods, are facing some of the biggest cost increases in food items. “We are seeing price increases on the lower end items that range anywhere from 60-150 percent,” said Andre Manukyan, who is the manager of GCC CARES.  

The GCC Food Pantry provides food and groceries,  including produce, non-perishable food items, pantry staples and even hygiene products. The Food Pantry receives daily deliveries of donations from Trader Joes. The pantry is open to any students who are enrolled in at least one class at the Verdugo or Garfield campuses and are food insecure. Students can make an appointment once a week, up to 14 days in advance. The Food Pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be located at the San Rafael building, Room 122. 

For more information, visit:

www.glendale.edu/FoodPantry.

Dominique Rocha can be reached at [email protected].