Students Start Ocean County College Food Pantry To Aid Classmates

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Paying for college can test the budgets of most families. National surveys at two-year and four-year colleges and universities across the U.S. have found that a large population of students are going hungry.

“Food insecurity” is a growing trend, and it's one students at Ocean County College are trying to address for their fellow students with the creation of Helping Hands, Ocean County College’s first food pantry.

The pantry opened Feb. 12, and is available to currently enrolled OCC students in need.

“Food insecure” students at the two-year community college need only stop by the Jon and Judith Larson Student Center on the main campus in Toms River. On Mondays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., hungry students can stop by, show their current valid Ocean County College student ID, and pick up nonperishable food and drinks.

"For many years now, Ocean County College has wanted to have a food pantry for its students in need," said Alison Noone, assistant director of student life at Ocean County College. Another meal program was established in 2012, Pay It Forward, to help our students. However, we knew the campus needed more. The Tau Iota Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (national honor society) partnered with the Student Life Office to finally make this dream a reality.”

While most donations to the Helping Hands Food Pantry are from on-campus constituents including students, faculty, and staff, the public is encouraged to donate as well. Donations of nonperishable food and of money to purchase items for the food pantry are welcome.

Checks should be made payable to "Ocean County College" with "Helping Hands" in the memo, and mailed to the Office of Student Life, Ocean County College, P.O. Box 2001, Toms River, NJ.

For nonperishable food donations, the most desirable are single-serve, individually packaged, and pull-tab openings are most desirable. Helping Hands is in need of items that students can eat between classes or quickly microwaved. Suggested items include: cheese or peanut butter crackers, beef jerky; instant macaroni and cheese; applesauce, pudding, and fruit cups; cereal, granola, and power bars; Chef-Boy-R-Dee, SpaghettiOs, and canned vegetables and fruit; boxed drinks along with fruit and tomato juices; packaged nuts, trail mix, fruit snacks, and dried fruits; and chips, pretzels, cookies, and goldfish.

Aiza Nageeb, president of the Tau Iota Chapter of PTK at Ocean County College, said, “Tau Iota’s executive board has worked vigorously the past few months fundraising, communicating with local food pantries, stocking food, and much more. Thanks to the support of Student Life, Tau Iota is one step closer to accomplishing our goals: making a difference in the lives of our peers, every day. This project has made an impact on many of the board members as we worked day and night to make this happen. However, receiving emails from students expressing their gratitude makes it all worth it.”

For more information on where to donate nonperishable food items or how your monetary donation can help, contact Noone at 732-255-0400, ext. 2138, or anoone@ocean.edu.

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