Now colleges and universities themselves are pulling together more permanent solutions, often in collaboration with local housing authorities and non-profit partners.
In some cases, colleges and universities are trying to avoid losing enrollment; not surprisingly, students in unstable living environments or who can't afford food have poorer physical health, symptoms of depression and psychological stress, and are more likely to drop out, research shows.
"Higher education is not a social service agency, and we recognize that," says Ed Mirecki, dean of students at the University of Washington–Tacoma... "But on the other hand, if we really are focused on increasing access and providing these [educational] opportunities for students, we have an obligation to help support their success and that means creating these support structures around affordable housing and food insecurity.""
Retriever Essentials is proud to be on the forefront of addressing basic needs insecurity in our campus community. Visit our website to find more information on referral services on and off campus that can help you find security and provide a structured pathway to academic success!
UMBC provides many resources for the campus community to best prepare for tax season and to learn about financial literacy!
Check out these upcoming free tax preparation events with UMBC VITA, a group of trained student volunteers who prepare tax returns for free. Eligible clients earn less than $55,000 in household income. Appointments are required. Email VITA@UMBC.edu to request an appointment.
April is also Career Month at UMBC, and there will be many events taking place around financial literacy and career readiness!
Check out more
details and find upcoming events hosted by Financial Smarts @ UMBC!
| Member Duties : The second year CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will implement the current working operation manual to continue streamlining all Retriever Essentials programming, while updating it to ensure needs are met in the most efficient way possible. They will oversee volunteer recruitment and coordination for daily operations of the food pantry, which include: donation collection, inventory, bag packing, and bag delivery. The CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will also be tasked with developing a fundraising plan in order to raise money to support Retriever Essentials’ proposal for a permanent pantry space on campus. They will also work to develop collaborative partnerships with departments and student groups, as well as the Retrievers Action Committee, on and off campus to provide programming and events around food justice, healthy eating on a budget, and much more. Additionally, the CCMA AmeriCorps VISTA will create and implement a student-board to help institutionalize Retriever Essentials. |
| Program Benefits : Training , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Living Allowance , Childcare assistance if eligible , Health Coverage* , Gym Membership , Relocation Allowance |
We'd like to take a moment to thank the campus community for the support over the last year!
The Retriever Essentials program has made significant strides in addressing hunger and homeless among our UMBC students. Last semester 100 bags of groceries were packed and delivered, an almost 100% increase from the previous academic year. Save a Swipe collected 280 meals and helped feed 23 students while they were on campus, and this semester students donated 375 meals to the program--we are so grateful for the ability to feed even more students through Save a Swipe this semester.
This success is attributed to you, the UMBC community, as you have stepped up and donated your time, energy and resources.
Yet, as time progresses we are discovering more students in need. Retriever Essentials is currently working toward sustainable methods to support them but we need your help!
You can continue to support these efforts by donating on Giving Day 2019, which is today! Our goal is to raise a significant amount of funds to cover food, toiletries, as well as a fully functional on-campus food pantry.
Please take some time to donate and spread this message. We can only eliminate this problem together. Join the #blackandgoldrush by giving to Retriever Essentials today!
The countdown is on! UMBC's Giving Day kicks off at midnight and we need your help to hit the goal of 1,000 donors in 24 hours. #blackandgoldrush
Tomorrow is #UMBC’s second Giving Day! Consider making a gift to Retriever Essentials during #blackandgoldrush & help us to continue our mission of tackling food insecurity in our university community.