Students always have a lot on their plate. Whether it’s an upcoming test, problems with COVID or final exams, students will always be busy with classes. But a student doesn’t only have to worry about classes, but things in their current life as well. Luckily for them, the JCCC student basic needs center is here to help with any out of class problems a student might have.
(Stevie Franklin) “We are here to help students with any hardships outside of the class for them so the biggest is the cap covered food pantry but beyond that I’ll help students out if they have needs with housing or transportation or if they need legal services or childcare. Earlier in the year we started an equipment loan, so because our classes have gone online for the most part many students didn’t have the equipment such as laptops or hotspots, so we loaned those out to students that’s another service we acquired. And then because students had jobs affected by COVID and other financial situations arise we started the student assistance fund so students who need emergency money they can apply to the fund and I’ll review that, and we can help them with some cash.”
Although the center has had to adapt to COVID, that hasn’t stopped them from providing students with important services.
(Victoria Corral) “Before the checkout we used to have the student next to us and then we chat and everything but now we have a waiting area so they leave their stuff, we also have a plexiglass sheet over there, they leave their stuff and then they go to the waiting area. Once I’m done scanning everything I ask for their ID since we have like a log machine and then after that I just leave their stuff and then they just take it and then leave.”
(Franklin) “Before we just allowed people to walk in we didn’t have appointments, so the difference now is that while they can still walk in we encourage people to go through AccuCampus.”
The basic needs center covers housing assistance, transportation, social services support, a food pantry, the equipment loan program and the student assistance fund. If you ever have any out of class problems such as these, you can contact them through an appointment on the JCCC.edu student basic needs webpage. Reporting for the Campus Ledger, I’m Leo Fotovich.