The Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) received a donation of 120 cases of food on Fri., Aug. 30, from the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. The food was collected for the College’s “Viking Vault” food pantries and will be distributed to Long Beach City College students in need.

“Many of our students are extremely grateful to have one less thing to stress about on days when just getting to class is a hardship,” said LBCCD Board of Trustees President Vivian Malauulu. “Knowing that there is food available to them for free at our Viking Vaults thanks to generous community organizations like the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters helps ease the burden of hunger for students who face food insecurity.”

This is the second year in a row the Council of Carpenters have collected food specifically for LBCC students. According to Frank Zambrano, of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, many of the union members have children who struggle through the college system which made it very relatable for the employees.

“We are aware that with today’s students, one in five students go hungry,” Zambrano said. “We are very aware of the situation.”

The food drive was a one-day collaborative effort of the Postal Service-Cal Fed and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters who donated non-perishable can and dry goods. 

Throughout the past three years, LBCC’s Student Health Services and a LBCC Foundation Associate Group, headed by LBCCD Board of Trustees Members Dr. Virginia Baxter and Sunny Zia, have initiated a series of efforts to help alleviate the housing and food insecurities faced by LBCC students.

The office of Student Health established food pantries called “Viking Vault” at both campuses. The Viking Vaults provides nutritional items for students to eat both on campus and to take for meal preparation off campus.

“LBCC has really ramped it up when making efforts to help our students who are in need,” said LBCCD Superintendent-President Reagan Ferragamo Romali, Ph.D. “And with the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters being so generous with us last year, we are so fortunate to be the recipients of this wonderful gift again.”

For more information on donating non-perishable food items, toiletries or financial assistance, please contact the LBCC Foundation at (562) 938-4134 or Student Health Services at (562) 938-3032.