You’ve no doubt heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. What about Giving Tuesday? After the initial consumer spending rush of the holiday season is over, many people are moved to pause their deal hunting to do some good. And that’s where Giving Tuesday comes in, a global generosity movement to inspire people to donate to the charities they believe in. And while there are many opportunities to donate to large, international organizations on Giving Tuesday, the local nonprofits in your own community would also welcome your support.
The Mendocino College Foundation is raising funds on Giving Tuesday for the campus Food Pantry, a vital resource for many students facing steep prices at the grocery store. In a recent survey, Mendocino College students were asked “In the last 30 days, were you ever hungry but didn’t eat because there wasn’t enough money for food?” A stunning 53.8 percent of respondents said YES.
Many of these students are working full or part-time while taking classes, taking care of kids or other family members, and the Food Pantry allows them to stretch their grocery budget farther each month. Students have enough on their plate without having to worry about what’s literally going to be on their plate. The Food Pantry provides staples like cereal, rice and beans, pasta, peanut butter and jelly, bread and tortillas, canned fruits and vegetables, milk and almond milk.
The foundation supports Food Pantries at Mendocino College’s main campus in Ukiah, as well as at our Centers in Lakeport, Willits and Fort Bragg. A Center Assistant at the Lake Center wrote movingly about her experience helping students access the Food Pantry: “Working at the Lake Center has opened my eyes to the food insecurity so many of our students face. When I am able to give students groceries from the Food Pantry, I know our institution is not only helping them continue to invest their time and energy into their education, but also showing them that we value them as people who have essential needs.”
She continues, “I have seen first-hand the difference our Food Pantry program makes, and I’d like to share one example, a student who was living in a shelter for domestic violence victims the first time I met them. This student had two children and no employment at the time. Every week this student would stop by to utilize the Food Pantry and each time they would let me know how much of a difference it was making for them and their children. As a parent myself, I could feel how much weight this was taking off of this parent’s shoulders and how this bit of relief helped this student focus on their classwork every day.”
When you donate to the Food Pantry at Mendocino College, you are helping people who are living and working and learning right here in your community. And they are spending their money right here at home. Mendocino College students are working hard to better their life, and it means so much for them to know that their community has got their back. If you want them to know you care, you can make a secure online donation. Visit https://foundation.mendocino.edu/donate and select the Student Food Pantry option. You can also send a check to Mendocino College Foundation at 1000 Hensley Creek Rd., Ukiah, CA 95482 or contact Executive Director Julie McGovern at 707-468-3164 or jmcgovern@mendocino.edu. Thank you for your support and for keeping your donation dollars local.