Those of us who, as students, lived on a steady diet of Spam, peanut butter, mac and cheese, Beanie Weenies, or Ramen noodles, may assume such choices are an obligatory rite of passage—like those roach-infested apartments or dormitory roommates with unspeakable hygiene (don't ask). Some of us endured privations because we chose juvenile lifestyle priorities that are better left to the fog of nostalgia.
However, many community college students are genuinely on the edge of chronic poverty, especially those with small children. They drop out because "life gets in the way," as we often put it. The car breaks down, the kids get sick, or the lure of a minimum-wage job is too much to resist. Ironically, as the economy improves, more will likely drop out, accepting dead end jobs when they would be better off staying in college for the long haul. It's a tough call for many.
A number of higher education institutions, especially community colleges, have opened food banks for students. Good food is one of those items that might tip the scale in terms of remaining in school. Clubs and organizations often request that those who attend special events should bring canned goods and such.
Here's a short piece from the Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription may be required). Something to think about:
Owens Community College, in Ohio, is set to become the latest college to open a food bank for students, The Toledo Blade reports. Starting in mid-February, the college’s Perrysburg Township and Findlay campuses will offer the Harvest Food Pantries program to students in need. Michigan State University opened the first student food pantry in the country, in 1993, according to the newspaper, and now provides about 50,100 pounds of food to 4,700 people a year. A number of other colleges have also introduced food pantries, including Iowa State University, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, and Wright State University.
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