HCCC to open food pantries for students, members of college community

Updated Mar 23, 6:30 PM; Posted Mar 23, 6:29 PM

By Adrienne Romero | The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY ? A local community college is expanding its reach to help those in need put food on their tables.

?This food pantry is a labor of love,? Hudson County Community College President Chris Reber said in a statement. ?We are working to dispel any stigma by making the pantry as friendly, welcoming and discreet as possible.?

HCCC is set to open two food pantries on its campuses in the coming weeks.


A Journal Square campus food pantry will open at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Room J002 of the J-Building, at 2 Enos Place, Reber announced. The pantry -- which was renovated and stocked with funding from the HCCC Foundation -- will have nonperishable food items for students and members of the college community.

The second pantry will open on the HCCC North Hudson Campus ? 4800 Kennedy Blvd. in Union City ? on April 9 at 1:30 p.m.

?It is devastating to know that any member of the HCCC community may be struggling with a lack of food,? Associate Dean of Student Affairs David Clark said in a statement.

The Government Accountability Office reports that up to 50 percent of the nation?s community college students experience food insecurity, which is not having access to nutritious, affordable food. A higher percentage of students from low-income homes are enrolling in college and the number of students whose households face poverty has increased, the report shows.

Members of the community are invited to help.

Donations of nonperishable food items, personal care products and household paper goods will be accepted at 2 Enos Place, Room J002, on the Journal Square Campus and at the Enrollment Services Center on the North Hudson campus.


The HCCC Foundation is also accepting monetary donations.

Checks made payable to ?HCCC Foundation? with the notation "Food Pantry? on the memo line, may be sent to: Hudson County Community College Foundation, 70 Sip Ave. ? Fourth Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306.

Monetary donations may also be made online by clicking the ?Donate? button on the bottom of the page at www.hccc.edu/foundation.

?We hope that this food pantry will ease and eliminate any hunger and food insecurity that may exist among the campus population,? Clark said.


https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/03/hccc ... pantry-for-community.html