United Food Bank and Services of Plant City Annual Report FY18 (Pages)

Reality of College Campus Hunger
Hunger on college campuses is a reality that is
becoming more and more common. As reported in
early 2018 by a Temple University and Wisconsin HOPE
Lab, more than a third of college students can’t afford
to eat or have stable housing. In addition to 36 percent
of students reporting food insecurity and another 36
reporting housing insecurity, another 9 percent were
homeless.
These numbers are even higher for community college
students: 42 percent report that they struggle to obtain
adequate food and miss a complete day of meals
per month. And 46 percent of the community college
students said they had difficulty paying for housing and
utilities.
United Food Bank has forged a unique collaboration
with Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Plant City
Campus to address college hunger. In working with Dr.
Martyn Clay, Campus President and Cris Legner, Dean,
Student Services, Food Bank Executive Director, Mary
Heysek and Operations Manager, Ashlee Montanaro,
present issues of hunger during on-campus
lunch and learn sessions. HCC has a Food
Insecurity Task Force covering its campuses,
flyers are distributed, and staff are trained in
interventions.
Hillsborough Community College recognizes the stigma
that can be attached to food or housing insecurity for
their students. They have worked out an arrangement
with the food bank to supply a weekend box (an emergency
ration stored on campus and distributed by the
Dean of Student Services, Dean of Academic Affairs, or
through the Office of the President, to students who
identify a need along with a voucher to present at the
food bank).
By the numbers:
• Since April of 2018, HCC Plant City has distributed
55 emergency food boxes.
• United Food Bank has provided 80 emergency
boxes to the campus.
• HCC Plant City has distributed between 60-75
vouchers for food bank services to students.
• During a two-day “Welcome Back” event in August
of 2018, 39 vouchers and three emergency boxes
were handed out in just two days.
“What is extremely gratifying is that we realized a need
and identified how to fix it, and connected those students
with needs to the United Food Bank. In addition,
students, including some receiving assistance, are coming
back to the food bank to volunteer to help others.”
—Dr. Martyn Clay, Campus President
Mary Heysek and Ashlee Montanaro Presenting at HCC Plant City in April 2018
Volunteerism at United Food Bank and Services for the FY 2017-18 remained strong. From FY 2016 to FY 2018
there was a 53 percent increase in volunteer hours going from 4,377 in FY 2016 to 4,570 in FY 2017 to 6,704 in
FY 2018. Volunteers are provided by corporations, community neighbors, churches, board members, and through
court-ordered community service (another 500-600 volunteer hours per year). Corporate volunteers come from
Publix, Mosaic, Suncoast Credit Union, Bank of America, Keller Williams, State Farm, Plant City Housing Authority, Area
Agency on Aging, Camping World, and College Hunks Hauling Junk. Bright Futures and other students volunteer from
Plant City and Durant High Schools. The food bank receives two HCC clinical interns per semester.