[MUSIC PLAYING]
ALBERT RODRIGUEZ: A couple of years
ago, we noticed that our students were struggling
with food insecurity.
Some of them would go without food for the day
or a couple of days.
We also noticed some of our students
were struggling with housing and homelessness.
So we felt the need to do something as an organization.
We created the Panther Care Program
with hopes of bridging those gaps for students.
In terms of food support, we provide bi-monthly food
pantries.
Right now, because of the pandemic,
we are hosting them as drive-through pantries.
Hopefully, as we move forward, they
will be in-person at one point.
We also have food for our students and snacks
for our students in our office.
So if a student is just in need of a quick snack
in between classes or they need a power-up before an exam,
they can certainly stop by and pick up a snack,
or they can pick up an entire box of food
that would support them for a longer period of time.
We also have a meal assistance program on campus
that we can provide students with meal support
during the time they are on campus.
And for some students who don't come to campus
and are taking their classes remotely,
we have also partnered with Uber Eats
to provide meal assistance to students who are not on campus.
Meal assistance would vary.
Some students, we can provide grocery gift cards for them.
Some students, we can actually provide meals for them.
We've also partnered with local farmers markets
to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to students directly
to their homes, so making sure that we
can connect the resources to the students where they're at.
VANESSA GONZALES: So before the Panther Care Program,
I didn't know when my next meal was going to be.
I would have headaches, and I just felt sluggish.
And I'm also a single mother, so most of everything
I had would-- or we had, I would just give her,
and then I would just eat whatever I could afterwards.
So with the Panther Care Program,
I felt like they were able to take care of me
while I was taking care of my daughter.
So that was one less thing I had to be stressed about, knowing
that I had food, and I could just focus on everything else,
on my classes.
I really think that all students should really
look into the program.
Even if you're not a parent, even just being
a single student by yourself with no kids,
that's a struggle alone going to school,
and trying to figure out what you're going to eat.
ALBERT RODRIGUEZ: We want to make sure
that we connect the students to our resources.
We always want our students to stay hungry for their goals,
but we don't want them to stay hungry for their food.
We also offer emergency housing for students.
So if a student is housing insecure and in need of housing
for a short period of time, our college
can refer a student out to an organization
that can help find them housing for a short period of time.
It's not long-term housing, but it
is getting a roof over a student's head,
and we're very appreciative of those organizations.
We also offer an emergency grant to students.
So I always encourage students when
they ask me, like, what do you think,
do you think this is an emergency, if you feel
it's an emergency and you're experiencing it
as an emergency, apply.
Maybe we can get you some support.
We want to normalize the support that is offered.
We want the students to view the support offered through Panther
Care just like they would view support from the Financial Aid
Office or from the Career Center or from the Counseling Center.
So we do want to normalize the support from them.
VANESSA GONZALES: Don't be embarrassed at all about it.
It's there to help us, and it's really
changed my life in a big way.
Without it, I really don't know where I would be,
just because it's helped me basically to survive.