On March 26, we celebrated the grand opening of The Spot: Center for Basic Needs which relocated to its permanent location in the Student Activities Center (SAC 140). This center serves as a hub to help fill the gaps for students experiencing food or housing insecurity, financial burdens, or any other related challenges that may hinder a student鈥檚 ability to fully engage in their educational journey. Our core services are grounded in the belief that before a student can be expected to succeed in an academic setting, it is imperative that their basic needs are not only met but prioritized.
For the past three years, I鈥檝e had the honor of serving on the statewide CEO Affordability, Food, & Housing Access Taskforce to focus on the basic needs among California Community College students. In 2023, this taskforce commissioned the Real College California Survey, the nation鈥檚 largest assessment of basic needs security among college students. Over 66,000 students from 88 community colleges within California responded, and we gained important insights from this data including that two out of three students grapple with at least one form of basic needs insecurity鈥攚hether it鈥檚 food insecurity, housing instability, or homelessness.
Here in Orange County and Los Angeles County, the following statistics of impacted students are just as striking:
- Struggle with food insecurity: 48%
- Face housing insecurity: 59%
- Experience homelessness: 22%
The rates of basic needs insecurity vary considerably across different student demographic groups, with insecurities highest among African American/Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native students, LGBTQ+ students (notably transgender students), and justice/system-impacted students. Additionally, basic needs insecurity rates are much higher among single parents.
These statistics reflect a reality we cannot ignore which is why I鈥檓 so proud of how our college has evolved our basic needs support services from a humble food pantry in 2017 to a thriving comprehensive center. The Spot at 91探花视频 is more than a resource center鈥攊t鈥檚 a commitment to support our students with the resources they need. As Vice President McDonald shared at the grand opening 鈥渢o our students鈥擨 want you to know this space was created for you. Whether you need food, a jacket, or a listening ear鈥擳he Spot is yours. You deserve to thrive, not just survive, and we are here to walk alongside you every step of the way.鈥
I encourage you to visit the Spot to become familiar with the full array of basic needs resources available at 91探花视频 to ensure we connect students with relevant services to meet their needs: The Spot | 91探花视频. Let鈥檚 continue to grow this work together鈥攂ecause every student deserves a place to belong, a place to be seen, and a place to launch their future.
Best, John