The holidays are a festive time on campus, but the winter season can also be difficult for students who struggle with food and housing insecurities. Success in classes can be impacted by these struggles. El Camino College established the Food and Shelter Task Force in 2017 to help meet these basic needs. The task force recently expanded to provide referrals to subsidized Metro U-Passes, information about CalFresh and access to a guidebook that offers free or low-cost resources to mental health, transitional housing, legal services and more.
Students can also access these resources:
Warrior Pantry: Offers nutritious food and toiletry items for students facing food insecurity. The Warrior Pantry relies on grants and donations, which are accepted year-round. Needed items include granola bars, fruit cups, oatmeal, and nuts; canned goods with easy-pop tops, including canned fruit, tomato sauce, canned pasta, canned chili/tuna/chicken; and soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine products, and lotion.
Warrior Closet: A "pop-up shop" that offers free clothing to students in need. Donations of gently used clothing, shoes, suits and other items are always welcome, particularly attire that students can wear to work and/or job interviews. The Warrior Closet is open several times throughout the academic year; donations are collected in the Financial Aid Office.
Warrior Toy Drive: Campuswide effort brings holiday cheer to children of ECC students. Many students in the college's CARE and CalWORKs programs cannot afford to purchase holiday gifts for their children. This 21st annual toy drive meets those needs with donations of new, unwrapped toys that are then distributed at a special Warrior Toy Land Event. Donations can be made via Amazon Smile Registry.
