A fruitful partnership between Rubicon, Diablo Valley College (DVC), and the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC) is breaking down the stigma around student food insecurity and removing financial barriers to higher education for community college students. 

According to Special Projects Manager Kimi Barnes, far too many students go hungry and drop out of school for financial reasons because they are not aware that they qualify for - and deserve - help on their academic journeys. Through the Fresh Success program at DVC, Rubicon has been able to connect these students to CalFresh benefits and food pantries; provide money for textbooks, school supplies and remote learning expenses; and offer coaching and referrals to campus and community resources like housing assistance and mental health services.

Rubicon’s partnership with DVC and the FCCC is a response to a widespread problem affecting almost half of the student population at

community and public colleges across the nation. As school costs continue to climb and the economic gap widens, students are forced to pour all of their resources into tuition, textbooks and other expenses, sometimes at the expense of food and other basic needs. A study published in 2019 by Temple University’s Hope Center for College, Community and Justice found that 45 percent of students at 100 institutions had experienced food insecurity while at school. At the same time, according to Barnes, many of those students are “far along in their self-determination.” In other words, they are used to doing things on their own and sometimes uncomfortable asking others for support.

But LaReese Stitts, the Fresh Success Impact Coach at DVC, is an expert at breaking down barriers and stigmas around student hunger by reframing what it means to get help. For example, she might tell a student, “This is short term and it will allow you to get to the place where you can support others.” 

Stitts also acts as a resource and an advisor for Rubicon Comprehensive Program participants who enroll at DVC, forming a bridge between the foundation classes and a college education. 

To qualify for the Fresh Success Program, students must be Contra Costa residents who are eligible for CalFresh benefits and enrolled in at least one career education, ESL, or basic skills class at DVC. Once they are part of the program, they begin their coaching sessions with Stitts, who directs them to on- and off-campus resources to support them. Many students are unaware of services and benefits available to them, Stitts said, recalling one participant who did not know he qualified for a Promise Grant to pay his tuition costs and had therefore been struggling mightily to make ends meet. Other students struggling with food insecurity had no idea they qualified for CalFresh benefits and had access to a food pantry on the DVC campus. By simply guiding students toward existing avenues of support, Stitts is able to profoundly impact their experience of college for the better. 

The Fresh Success program has been nimble during the pandemic, adjusting its services to meet current needs. For example, what used to be a transportation stipend is now monthly financial support for WiFi and other remote learning necessities. While students everywhere are facing challenges during the pandemic, Stitts is proud of the Fresh Success program in its first year of existence at DVC. “The program’s coaching model has assisted students in highlighting their own self resilience and strengths during this difficult time,” she said.