QCC Works on Creative Ways to Help Its Students with Food Insecurity

As Quinsigamond Community College transitions to a new way of delivering student services, QCC’s Food Pantry and Resource Center is working hard to continue to serve students who are food insecure. The College stands united in its commitment to students and in the coming days students will be receiving information in their Qmail about how to apply for food pantry assistance through a new food pantry and resource center intake form.

According to Phi Theta Kappa Advisor Bonnie Coleman, the QCC Food Pantry and Resource Center will be picking up food weekly from the Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB). Dean of Students Terry Vecchio and Ms. Coleman recently spent two and a half hours training with David Reed, agency relations coordinator for the WCFB, so that the College could have access to their food.

“We will have a variety of food staples, depending on what they have each week,” she said.

Each week Ms. Coleman and Ms. Vecchio will visit the food bank and pick up items for QCC’s food pantry, bringing them back to the College where they will be sorted and bagged. The food will be distributed into individual bags that can be picked up at the College’s turnaround area in front of QCC’s main campus (670 West Boylston Street, Worcester). Each bag with not only contain food items, but also valuable information on different resources available to students. The goal is to also rotate to QCC’s Healthcare and Workforce Development Center, on 25 Federal Street, Worcester.

Ms. Vecchio asks students for their understanding and patience as they navigate this new process.

“We will try and have a consistent day each week that is to be determined,” she said, adding that services will be on first-come, first-serve, rotating basis each week. We are going to do the very best we can to help out our students in need.”

For questions, please email foodpantry [at] qcc.mass.edu