Student leaders in the Associated Students Organization (ASO), Inter-Club Council (ICC) and Student Equity Advisory Council (SEAC) created the El Camino Warrior Pantry to provide healthy food to students.

The EC Warrior Pantry’s main goal is to collect and distribute healthy foods to students who struggle financially both at school and home.

“We are trying to establish a better way for students to meet their needs when it comes to food,” co-chair of SEAC and director of Human Resources for ASO Rocio Munante, 21, said. “Students might not make enough money to pay for their books and pay for food as well.”

Bryant Odega, 20, director of Academic Affairs for the ASO, believes that the EC Warrior Food Pantry is important to have on campus because it shows students that as a community, ECC cares for the well-being of all students.

“Our main goal with the food pantry was to alleviate challenges students face in regards to food insecurities, homelessness, and transportation,” Odega said.

Some students at ECC struggle with food insecurity, especially those from single parent households.

“As the oldest child to two siblings with a single mother, having three meals a day is sometimes impossible,” Marvin Maldonado, 19, art major, said. “The food pantry is such a great idea that will definitely help my family in so many ways.”

According to Munante, all students will be able to access the Warrior Pantry with a valid EC student I.D. card. At the moment, there will be no need for proof of financial status.

“We do not want to discourage students who might be too shy or embarrassed to ask for help,” Munante said.

Therefore, no paperwork of any kind stating that a student may need help with paying for groceries is needed.

There are two main ways to donate to the pantry. Students can bring in healthy canned food items and non-perishables. There are donation bins all over campus where students can donate these items.

The donation bins are located in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Building, the EC Bookstore, the MESA Center, the Schauerman Library and the Student Development Office.

If students are unable to donate non-perishable items, they can also donate monetarily. Monetary donations can be made on the ECC website.

“The food pantry is completely non-profit, and all donations made will go directly to helping the students,” Munante said. “We are trying to make ECC a better environment for all students.”

The Warrior Pantry is scheduled to operate in early October, following the grand opening in the Physics Building Room 116 (exact date to be determined). All students are encouraged to donate in any way possible, as it will benefit the lives of many here at EC.

“Donations will be helping so many students,” Odega said. “We are a community. Anything that students can do to contribute to the pantry can help our community flourish. We’re all in this together.”

EDITOR’S NOTE SEPT. 21, 2017 12:36 A.M.: Spelling errors corrected.