MiraCosta College Takes the Lead in Fighting Student Hunger

When it comes to providing for hungry students, MiraCosta College is kicking it up a notch with a new Mobile Food Pantry to complement services that already include a MiraCosta Cares Farmers Market and a long-established campus pantry that provides an emergency sack lunch or snack for any student in need of a meal.

The Mobile Food Pantry made its inaugural campus visit on July 23, serving 70 students at the Veterans Lounge and EOPS Center. It is stationed at the Oceanside Campus Library Hub Circle next to the Administration Building. Upcoming scheduled dates are September 24, October 22, November 26, January 28, February 28, March 24, and April 28 from 1 to 2 p.m.

The Mobile Food Pantry evolved through discussions with MiraCosta College Superintendent/President Sunita “Sunny” Cooke and San Diego Food Bank CEO Jim Floros, and it is delivering more than meals. Also on the menu is information about the CalFresh program and access to a nutritionist about healthy eating and community resources. The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in the county, and it works with several colleges and universities in the region.

The reviews have been positive. “I am now independent and struggle with money even though I work 30 hours a week,” said one student. “This is a safety net. Thank you!”

The already-established MiraCosta Cares Farmers Market allows for any MiraCosta College student to access free fresh produce, bread, and dry goods on specified dates through December at the Oceanside Campus Library Hub Circle. Future Farmers Market dates are September 12 and 25, October 17, November 22, and December 3, from 3 to 5 p.m.

Students must show their Spartan Pass or have their SURF ID number to collect food from either the Mobile Food Pantry or Farmers Market.

The MiraCosta Cares Farmers Market was launched in conjunction with Feeding San Diego, which works with colleges, churches, and charities that collect food from various decentralized distribution points. In the past year alone, it was responsible for distributing more than 26 million meals, of which more than half consisted of fresh produce. Nearly all—97 percent—of the 27 million pounds of perfectly good food distributed by Feeding San Diego would have otherwise gone to waste. Its extensive network includes 204 Starbucks, 240 grocery stores, the San Diego Convention Center, importers with excess produce coming from Mexico, local farmers, and others.

The need is profound. While estimates vary, a recent study by The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice found that 48 percent of community college students and more than 40 percent of university students responding to the group’s survey reported being food insecure within the prior 30 days.
For more information, contact the Service Learning & Volunteer Center at 760.795.6616.

About MiraCosta College

The MiraCosta Community College District has served the coastal North San Diego County area for over 80 years. More than 21,000 credit students per semester in over 70 disciplines enroll in associate degrees, university transfer and workforce readiness certificate programs. The college also serves a wide spectrum of educational needs in the region ranging from programs for adult education, basic skills, and ESL to a California Community College pilot program offering the nation’s first baccalaureate degree in biomanufacturing. MiraCosta College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)