Free Meals Available to Students
More than 400 students participated in the Healthy Hornet Drive-Thru and walk-up service during the first week. The free meal distribution will occur each Friday for the remainder of the semester. Students are encouraged to submit an interest form on a weekly basis on the Basic Needs Website. The weekly submission form will open at 8 a.m. on Mondays and will close at noon on Thursdays.
The college is partnering with Sodexo, its food service provider, to distribute pre-packed bags of groceries starting Friday, April 24. Free feminine products and condoms will also be available to students, upon request.
“Times are very tough for many of our students. Many have lost their jobs and need all the help we can provide,” said President Greg Schulz. “I want to thank our partners at Sodexo for helping us bring this resource to our students.”
The Healthy Hornet Drive-Thru with a walk-up area will operate with strict social distancing measures in Parking Lots A and 8, north of Chapman Avenue. All staff members distributing bags will wear gloves and masks. Students will have the option of driving through the parking lots or walking up to receive their bag of groceries. This map shows the flow of traffic.
After students submit an interest form, they will receive a confirmation with a timeframe and further instructions to pick up their bag. To plan for food inventory and traffic flow, students will need to submit forms on a weekly basis until further notice. Students who have trouble accessing the survey should refresh their browsers. Students who do not receive a confirmation should check their spam folder and refresh their browser. The forms will be hosted here: https://vpss.fullcoll.edu/basic-needs/
A smaller distribution will also take place on Thursdays for EOPS students. Students enrolled in that program can find out more details on the EOPS Canvas page or by contacting the program directly.
This meal service is in addition to food bank services available to students at Pathways of Hope’s Hub of Hope at Richman Park in Fullerton. In addition to food services, Pathways of Hope offers life skills classes, hygiene kits, diapers, transportation assistance, clothing vouchers, California photo ID referral services, and community resources and referrals. The HUB is open Monday to Friday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Call 714.680.3691 ext: 220 for more information.
*This story was originally posted on April 20, 2020 and updated April 27, 2020.
