“Cal Coast was started by teachers in 1929, so we have a long
history of supporting the education community, including K-12
schools, local community colleges and four-year universities,”
Rene McKee, Cal Coast Senior Vice President of Community
& Public Relations shared with GB Magazine. “As a result of
our partnerships with the colleges, we learned of the food
insufficiencies the students were experiencing. While virtually every
campus established food pantries, they were having a tough time
keeping them stocked. So we decided to try and help raise more
food donations and get the campus pantries well stocked.”
The Pack the Pantry food drive ran from November 4 to
November 18, 2019. Food donation bins were placed at all Cal
Coast branches and on all local community college campuses. In
addition, a virtual food drive website was set up, where anyone
could easily make a financial donation online.
The results far exceeded what anyone could have hoped for. In
the two short weeks of the campaign, enough food and financial
donations were raised to provide over 50,000 meals to students
on the local community college campuses.
“Cal Coast could not have done this alone,” said McKee. “Getting
the support of the Food Bank was essential since they have the
experience with food collection, sorting and distribution. And of
course, we needed the support of the community colleges. They
were very enthusiastic from the start.”
“It is a constant struggle to keep the food pantries fully stocked,”
said Southwestern College Superintendent/President Dr. Kindred
Murillo. “We recognize that it will take the entire community to
help us in this fight against student hunger.”
Based on the success of the inaugural Pack the Pantry
campaign, Cal Coast plans to make it an annual event and
expand it to a one-month drive. “We are also open to adding
other community and business partners who can help us take
this effort to a new level of success,” said McKee. “Clearly on
issues as complex as food insecurity, it takes a collaborative
approach to have a lasting impact.”
www.calcoastcu.org
Pack the Pantry team
in campus pantry
FEBRUARY 2020 | GBSAN.COM 37