SIERRA COLLEGE FOUNDATION

The Sierra College Foundation is seeking funding to purchase care packs for former foster youth attending Sierra College. The care packs include basic items needed to help these students get on their feet and give them a good start to a successful educational career.

In 2007, a group of staff and faculty at Sierra College decided to take action on the growing lack of resources for former foster youth. They came together and formed the College Transition Support Team (CTST), which is a partnership between community foster youth services professionals and Sierra College Faculty and Staff. CTST addresses the needs, concerns and issues that affect the success and retention of FFY students attending Sierra College.

In the midst of compiling educational resources for foster youth, the College Support Team found a major gap in the services provided to these students. That missing piece was how to address the financial need that exists to purchase basic hygiene products and food. It became apparent that these students needed some form of a care pack to get them started. These packs include:

¨        One backpack

¨        2 bars of soap

¨        2 bottles of shampoo and conditioner

¨        2 sticks of deodorant

¨        2 tubes of toothpaste

¨        2 toothbrushes

¨        1 first aid kit

¨        $50 gift card to a local grocery store

¨        Pens, pencils, paper, two notebooks, highlighters, calendar, calculator

Support services for Sierra College students who are veterans

Hunger and food insecurity is real….
• Sierra has over 5500 students who fall under the poverty line.
• Many students are having to make a choice to eat or pay for other college related expenses.
• Some are forced to eat only once a day to make their funds stretch.
• Hunger is considered a barrier to a student’s success.
• Hunger causes fatigue, lack of focus in the classroom, and makes students feel isolated.

No student should go hungry, no student should worry about warm clothing, and no student should feel lost or alone. We are establishing a “Student Resource Center”, a food and clothing closet that offers services and support to our most vulnerable students, hoping to ease their stress so they can stay in school and concentrate on getting their education.