Thanksgiving Meal Kits Available to Students in Need

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, St. Louis Community College once again is taking steps to ensure its students in need can provide a holiday meal for their families.

The Thanksgiving meal kit initiative provides students with most of the ingredients to prepare some Thanksgiving meal side dishes and desserts. The kits are designed to be easily transportable for students using Metro Transit, and do not need refrigeration. Information also is provided so students can supplement the kits with any items that are not included, such as eggs, milk, or a protein source. STLCC representatives also will refer student to local food banks and turkey giveaways by faith and community organizations.

The program is overseen by each campus’s Student Advocacy & Resource Center. SARC provides no-cost grab-and-go meals and snacks for students on each campus through the Archers’ Market food pantries.

Some 500 Thanksgiving meal kits will be available on a first come, first served basis on Wednesday, Nov. 16, and Thursday, Nov. 17. Meal kit distribution locations and hours of operation are:

• Florissant Valley – Student Center Room 257, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on both days.
• Forest Park – Student Center Room 256, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on both days.
• Meramec – Business Administration Room 105, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 16, and noon-4 p.m. Nov. 17.
• South County Education and University Center – Main Desk 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on both days.
• Wildwood – Room 150E, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on both days.

“The Thanksgiving meal kit initiative has been a tradition at the College for many years,” said Keith Robinder, vice president of student support programs at STLCC-Wildwood. “In the past 3 years, the initiative grew significantly at the Florissant Valley and Forest Park locations through financial support provide by the STLCC Foundation and a donation from the YouthBridge Community Foundation of Greater Saint Louis. This year we are expanding the initiative again to all campus locations with additional funding from the College to support the needs of our students.”

Kits will be available first come, first served for walk-ins while supplies last. Student also have the option to reserve a kit through STLCC’s digital RSVP. If kits remain after the distribution dates, they will be available in the Archer’s Markets.

According to data compiled in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement, 29% of community college students are food insecure.

“College is stressful enough without additionally having to worry about how you are going to feed your family,” Robinder said. “We want to make sure our students know that they have a whole community actively supporting them.

Donations to support STLCC’s Student Advocacy and Resource Centers are encouraged and can be made through the STLCC Foundation.