UC Santa Cruz Food Pantry seeing big boost in attendance

UPDATE 11/24/15 6:15 PM:

It’s no secret that it is expensive to go to college at a University of California campus. At UC Santa Cruz, students face the additional burden of skyrocketing rentals. But whether they live on campus or off, the price tag is hefty and some students need help with a very basic need.

The food pantry at UCSC is seeing a big increase. The coordinator of the program says the number of families in need has tripled since he began four years ago. During one of the most recent events, more than 150 families waited for up to an hour for that very basic necessity – food.

“I noticed we have more and more people and we even ran out of food last time,” said graduate student Ping Lin.

Lin, a husband and father of two, is working on his Ph.D. in engineering. While he’s confident he will be successful one day, he and his family are struggling now. Not only does he help distribute, he also takes advantage of the UCSC Family Student Housing’s Food Pantry, available to all students.

“To me, this is a very great choice,” Lin said. “It’s very close to where I live. I can just stop by and get some simple ingredients like rice, bread or vegetables, like a potato or carrot. The kids need healthy food.”

He, like dozens of others, are struggling to make ends meet with high housing and tuition rates. During the 2014-15 year, tuition, housing and supplies for instate graduate students living on and off campus cost nearly $40,000. Instate undergrads living off campus pay about $34,000 a year.

“When we don’t have that money,” senior Stephanie Carrillo explained, “It’s like, “Ok I’m just going to sacrifice. I’m not going to have breakfast today. I can’t eat out today because I just don’t have the money.”

Family and Graduate Services Coordinator Alan VanderPaas has heard all of their heartbreaking stories.

“It’s hard to stretch the dollar,” VanderPaas said. “Tuition is challenging, housing is challenging. Having children is challenging. So all that put together and them just have a life and it really helps for them to just stop in and get some food.”

Food that comes from the Second Harvest Food Bank and organic produce from the school’s farm.

The program has outgrown the tiny community room, and the coordinator of the program wants to expand the program and banish the stigma associated with getting help.

“Very grateful is what I see every time,” VanderPaas said. “Very grateful. They don’t like standing in line, because they’re out there, standing in a line and that’s challenging for them just emotionally.”

Letting them know that sometimes to get ahead, you need a hand.

“I think it helps take the edge off our grocery bills every month,” said Family Student Housing RA Lisa Spencer. “So they do this twice a month and this helps. Every little bit helps.”

Generally October is the busiest month for the food pantry, as the reality sets in and students see they can’t make ends meet. The pantry isn’t just for students, Santa Cruz residents can participate also. It’s held the first and third Wednesday’s of the month.

ORIGINAL POST:

It’s no secret that it is expensive to go to college at a University of California campus. At UC Santa Cruz, students face the additional burden of skyrocketing rentals. But whether they live on campus or off, the price tag is hefty and some students need help with a very basic need.

The food pantry at UCSC is seeing a big increase. The coordinator of the program says the number of families in need has tripled since he began four years ago. During one of the most recent events, more than 150 families waited for up to an hour for that very basic necessity – food.

NewsChannel 5’s Mariana Hicks takes a closer look into the problem in a special report tonight on NewsChannel 5.