Valley’s resources offer reprieve for the community.
By: Sara Lemon, Staff Writer
Students completed the annual Real College Survey last year that showed 50 percent were experiencing food insecurity, 64 percent were struggling with housing insecurity and 20 percent were battling homelessness. More than 71 percent experienced a combination of these issues.
Valley College’s Basic Needs counselor and coordinator, Juan Castellanos, has firsthand experience dealing with challenges during college.
“As someone who personally experienced basic needs when I was in community college, I understand what it means to be a student experiencing homelessness,” he shared.
Hired in 2022, Juan expanded the basic needs center and increased outreach to students in need, to provide them with food, lodging, clothing and other necessities. As a first-generation college student who attended public schools, he is a graduate of Rio Hondo Community College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work after transferring to California State University, Los Angeles. At CSU Northridge he earned his master’s in College Counseling and Student Services.
Student’s needing assistance may come to the weekly open house at the Needs Center located at the Campus Center on Tuesdays between 1 p.m - 6 p.m. Housed at the same location are the Puente Program, Dream Resource Center and the Rainbow Pride Center.
Valley’s administration partnered with city, state and national agencies to secure available resources to help those in need and to inform the community of services offered.
Current campus services include Monarch’s Market, a food pantry, a weekly program called Warm Meals Wednesday’s where 100 meals are given to students experiencing food insecurity. The Meal Voucher Program (MVP), provides students with 2 vouchers per week at the campus cafeteria for a hot meal. If a student expresses they have not eaten in a few days, food vouchers or food grants are available. Emergency grants are available for housing to prevent students from being evicted. Valley also partners with city and state housing partners to help students find the help they need to maintain housing.
If the student is single, head of household with children under the age of 18, they can apply to CalWorks. Additional help for students may be available based on their zip code.
Students are able to get clothes through a partnership with The Rainbow Pride Center, as well as hygiene products. If students are in other campus programs that help with academic counseling, they could qualify to receive financial support. Students can apply at the Needs Center for a laptop.
Scholars Thriving for Excellence and Prosperity (STEPS) is a program designed to pay attention to unhoused students age 18-24. If students are 25 or older, adult housing referrals are also available through the Basic Needs Center.
The Center also helps students with suicide ideations, domestic violence and sex trafficking. Students will receive confidential help.
“I received help with academic, transportation and food resources,” said student Artur Kobyakov.
“They provided me with the support I needed as I was going through difficulties. To everyone who is not familiar with the center, I would say that this is a great program for students who need financial and academic support.”
In March of 2022 when Castellanos came on board at the Basic Needs Center, his focus was to connect with over 15,000 students.
“We provide a culture of care. This survey represents our invisible population on campus and reflects the great needs of our student body,” said Castellanos. “As a team, how do we move to leverage external funds and get students help and get it to them faster? This is my ongoing mission and daily commitment.”
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