Dallas County Community College Bringing Mobile Food Pantry To Campuses
DALLAS COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - One in three community college students reportedly goes without food regularly, putting them in a category of being "food insecure," or lacking consistent access to nutritional foods.
Saying that it must be difficult to concentrate when your "hangry" and recognizing the new reality on campuses across the country the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) is tackling the issue head-on by rolling out a new mobile food pantry.
Partnering with the North Texas Food Bank and H-E-B/Central Market, DCCCD students will now have access to the truck at least once a month. Food being offered -- for free -- will include fresh fruit, vegetables and other items meant to offer nutritious snacks and help students prepare their own healthy meals at home.
Across Dallas County some 22,000 students were identified as being food insecure in 2018.
CBS 11 News spoke with student Malen Blackman who explained how the focus on meeting academic requirements sometimes results in neglecting personal needs. "We spend a lot of our time studying, after hours, up all night and sometimes you don't have time to eat before class starts," he said. "To have people come out here and help us out like this is great."
In addition to each DCCCD campus stocking a brick-and-mortar food pantry, the mobile food truck will stop at all of the district's seven college campuses.
Administrators say anyone can take advantage of the food bank or food pantry resources, you'll simply have to provide your name, date of birth, and number of people in your household. The information provided isn't shared with anyone and no one will be asked for proof of need, income or immigration status.
