Opportunities on campus: Get free food and other basic needs items between classes

By Alicia Nicholson 

Did you know that your classmates are getting free food and personal hygiene items every week from the Valley 360° Resource Center? This service is 100 percent free and is available for all currently registered students to take advantage of once a week.  

Students at Valley College may not be aware of the assistance and supportive resources available to them right here on campus. Busy lives or lack of awareness may sometimes prevent them from utilizing these resources. Located on the left side of the library and The Den, facing Auto Zone, sits the Valley 360° Resource Center, also referred to as the Pantry. There, currently registered students can receive free food and other basic needs and hygiene items. 

Each week, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., student employees from the Office of Student Life (alumni and current) along with College Corps fellows assist students in securing their weekly orders. During this time students can choose from a snack bag or a home bag in addition to hygiene bags and feminine hygiene products. In a typical snack bag a student may find a few sweet treats, a salty snack and their choice of drink from a selection of beverages. A typical home bag may include pasta, broth, canned goods and other easy to prepare ingredients for quick meals. Completely free!

The food program is meant to decrease food insecurity and can help supplement your weekly groceries and stretch your budget. Students use their Canvas log in information to register using a digital check in system called Pantry Soft. Students will then choose an appointment/pick up day (Tuesday or Wednesday), select their items (add them to their shopping cart) and checkout. Lastly, the student shows up on their selected appointment day, anytime between the 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. window, provides their student id number to the staff and a staff member will give them their order.  

College students are often busy juggling school, work, and families and at times may have difficulty affording easy to prepare meals or having the time to shop for them. Resources like those provided by the Valley 360° Resource Center are invaluable and help serve a diverse population. 

From the student who has a long day of on-campus classes to the athlete needing a boost of energy before or after practice; whether you’re the student who didn’t have time to shop for tonight’s dinner or the student who needs a snack and drink to hold them over until dinner, Valley 360° Resource Center is there for you. 

For more information on using Pantry Soft or the Valley 360° Resource Center visit the school website at https://www.valleycollege.edu/about-sbvc/facilities/360-resource-center/index.phpI