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Giving Tuesday

VHCC Giving Tuesday

November 28, 2023

Please Help us Raise $5,000 to fight college student hunger through the VHCC food pantry, The Phil Station.

Thanks to our Partner, The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, all donations up to $2,500 will be matched.

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Food insecurity issues on college campuses is referred to as the Invisible Epidemic.

Many of today’s students must find a way to provide for their own living expenses while also paying for their education. Today’s typical student is not supported by his or her parents. Fewer than one in four students could be categorized as having parents who are able to pay all of their college expenses.

  • 74 percent of college students are financially independent, must provide for dependents, and are a single parent.
  • 72 percent of college students work while attending college
  • 20 percent work full-time.

A surprising number of students live at or near the poverty level

Problems with food harm students’ educational efforts. A 2020 survey by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University found that food insecurity affected 39 percent of respondents from community colleges, 32 percent of these students believed that hunger had an impact on their education. These students reported a range of consequences:

  • Fifty-five percent reported that these problems caused them to not buy a required textbook
  • Fifty-three percent reported missing a class
  • Twenty-five percent reported dropping a class
  • In some cases, food insecurity can force students to discontinue their education.

The evidence consistently shows

Education beyond high school leads to better opportunities for individuals and the communities they live in.

  • Higher likelihood of future employment
  • Higher wages
  • Reduced need for public assistance
  • Helps to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty

Please Help us Raise $5,000 to keep The Phil Station stocked with food and essential items.

Thanks to our Partner, The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, all donations up to $2,500 will be matched.

MATCH YOUR GIFT NOW!
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