The Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges has donated $100,000 to help students in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) who are facing disruptions in SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. The funds will be divided among LACCD’s nine colleges, with each campus receiving about $11,000 to provide emergency basic needs support through their Basic Needs Centers.
“This investment reflects our unwavering commitment to supporting students during times of crisis,” said LACCD Chancellor Dr. Alberto J. Román. “A recent districtwide survey found that 54% of our students experience food insecurity, and 34% rely on SNAP benefits to meet their basic needs. When students are worried about where their next meal will come from, they cannot focus on their education. This funding will help bridge the gap and ensure they have the support they need to stay enrolled and succeed.”
The donation comes as a federal government shutdown has paused SNAP allotments, causing benefit reductions nationwide. According to LACCD’s Spring 2025 Real College Survey, more than half of LACCD students reported food insecurity, over 65% faced housing insecurity, and nearly half received some form of public assistance. Food assistance was the most commonly used service among those who accessed campus support.
“The Foundation is proud to support the critical work happening at our colleges and Basic Needs Centers,” said Kelly King, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges. “Our donors understand that student success depends on meeting basic needs first. When we invest in alleviating food insecurity, we’re investing in educational attainment, workforce development, and the future prosperity of Los Angeles.”
“Our Board has consistently prioritized student basic needs because we know that hunger and housing insecurity are barriers to academic success,” said Board President Kelsey K. Iino, Ed.D. “We will continue to advocate at the state and federal level for policies that strengthen, not weaken, the safety net that community college students depend on.”
“Basic needs support is a necessity for student success,” said Trustee David Vela of the LACCD Board of Trustees. “Many of our students are already working multiple jobs while attending school and supporting their families. When disruptions occur to the benefits they depend on, this investment provides immediate relief while we work to build sustainable, long-term solutions that address the root causes of food and housing insecurity.”
“This Foundation investment comes at a critical moment for our students,” said Juan Castellanos, Basic Needs Coordinator and Counselor at Los Angeles Valley College. “When students face gaps in the support systems they rely on, they’re forced to make impossible choices. Every contribution has a ripple effect—a bag of groceries or emergency grant may seem small, but to a student, it can mean the difference between dropping out and graduating. This support doesn’t just meet an immediate need. It fuels persistence, graduation, and long-term success for entire families and communities.”
Each LACCD campus runs a Basic Needs Center offering services such as food pantries, emergency grants, housing assistance, mental health services, and connections to public benefits programs. The Foundation also relaunched its Nourish Fund—created during the pandemic—to direct charitable gifts toward districtwide food security efforts.
“This is not an exception—this is an expansion of the work we have always been committed to doing,” added Chancellor Román. “LACCD has long understood that addressing basic needs is fundamental to our educational mission.”
Students seeking assistance can visit their college’s Basic Needs Center or contact their Welcome Center through https://www.laccd.edu/students/ssc-contact.
