Dallas College has extended food drives at its seven campuses. The college system says about half its students are considered "food insecure"; in the past 30 days, they had either skipped a meal or eaten less at meals to make food last longer.
Dallas College started its "Pack the Pantry" drives at its seven campuses November 1. The drives were expected to run through the end of the month, but they have now been extended through December 16.
"It's always good to make an impact in the community, and that's what we're all about," says Cassondra Armstrong, executive chef at Culinary Concepts in Dallas and director of the Dallas chapter of the Texas Chefs Association. Armstrong also works with Dallas College's chef apprenticeship program.
Dallas College has food pantries at each of its campuses. The system says those pantries have provided food for more than 10,000 students and members of the community this fall alone.
Armstrong says providing food for students can help them focus on their education and succeed long term.
"How can we help our community grow and be more powerful?" she asks. "We're the foundation of that, and that's very important at the end of the day."
Dallas College hopes to receive 70,000 donations of the following items through December 16:
Breakfast/energy bars
Snack crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
Ramen noodles
Chef Boyardee/shelf-stable microwavable meals
Single serving cups of mac and cheese
Fruit cups or dried fruit
Pop-Tarts
Instant oatmeal
Popcorn
Vienna sausage
Tuna or chicken meal packages
Bottled water or flavor water packages
Vegetarian snacks
Nuts and trail mix
Chips/pretzels/goldfish crackers
Plastic cutlery
Hygiene items
Donations can be made in the food pantry, Office of Student Life, President's office and information center at each campus. Donations can also be made at the welcome desk of Bill J. Priest Center, Administrative O ice, LeCroy Center, Service Center, Pleasant Grove Center and West Dallas Center.
Dallas College is also working with the City of Dallas' "Home for the Holidays" campaign, which has served 7,000 meals and provided gifts for 500 families since its launch in 2007. Armstrong says events like that can provide students with practical experience working in a large kitchen but also give them a chance to help others as they learn.
"If we have the opportunity to be that middle of the sandwich, feed people, make them happy and let them know others care about them, that's really what it's all about," she says.
Details about Dallas College's Pack the Pantry drive are available here.
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