The Board of Trustees approved a $100,000 purchase of Shell Gift Cards for Extended Opportunity Programs and Services during Monday’s Board meeting.

The goal of purchasing transportation service cards on behalf of EOPS is to help eligible program participants meet their commuting needs.

“EOPS is here for low-income students,” Interim Program Coordinator Ruben Ruiz said. “We want to make sure they [students] get the most out of their expenses.”

The Board’s approval of transportation service cards will allow EOPS to purchase 1,000 gas cards worth $100 to assist students who struggle with transportation. A process is in place to assist students in need of transportation and track the distribution of service cards to students.

EOPS acknowledged a challenge for the student population at El Camino College is finding reliable and affordable means of transport.

In addition, EOPS is working to get the Board of Trustees to approve $99,000 for Walmart care meal service cards to give to eligible program participants.

Money for the service cards is received through Fund 12, the college’s restricted general fund.

“Sometimes we have $50 gas [cards], $50 Walmart cards, or sometimes we have $100 gas [cards] or $100 Walmart [cards],” Angelica Hooper, a Student Services advisor for the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education program said.

This semester, the deadline for program participants to meet the contact requirement deadline has become much more strict, as distribution of the cards is now being reported to financial aid.

Transportation and care meal service cards are provided to students in the program who have met the EOPS contract requirements during the fall and spring semesters, which include meeting with an advisor and twice with a counselor.

After the deadline is met, students have two weeks to collect their cards and every student gets three per semester.

Support programs, including EOPS and CARE programs, have provided assistance to El Camino students who struggle with finances and finding basic needs to support themselves and their education.

The service cards ensure assistance for students in the EOPS and CARE programs, providing students with some relief from personal struggles, allowing them to put more energy into their academics.

“Many students have expressed that the cards have been helpful to them,” acting director of EOPS Kristen Johnson said.