Panther care center steps up through federal changes

The Panther Care Center at Sacramento City College has had to step up recently to provide more food support to students, following the passage of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” earlier this year.

The center had been giving out food twice a month prior to November, but after the cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, the Panther Care Center has been giving out food weekly.

“We have food distributions that we’re doing weekly through the month of November to help with our students who are impacted with SNAP right now. … Students can still get produced and canned goods and … a really nice box full of produce they get to pick up as well,” said Linda Delgadillo, the supervisor for the resource center on campus.

Of the changes involved with the federal legislation signed by President Trump was a drastic cut to SNAP benefits. SNAP is a 60-year-old program that fights hunger by providing food assistance to millions of Americans. 

SNAP was a program that fed 41.7 million Americans per month according to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – Key Statistics and Research, when SNAP was cut millions across the country were suddenly short on food that would normally be provided by SNAP.

To combat food insecurity, the Panther Care Center stepped up to provide food to students that were struggling without SNAP. The grant-funded center was established during the 2021-22 school year to help students make their way back to school from the repercussions of COVID. 

As pandemic hardships lessened, the center continued to give out food and other basic necessities to students that required them. Typically, when the Panther Care Center puts in orders for food they receive 200 boxes and have leftovers. However, according to Delgadillo, “We had 277 visits in our market just on Monday alone,” she said, referencing a day in early November. “That’s not a typical day, but we’re just seeing more foot traffic, more students wanting a food box.”

With more people needing to rely on the Panther Care Center without SNAP, the center has been trying to support their students even more.

“We’ve increased the number of items that students can receive weekly as well, just to help in November, so students can still get produce and canned goods and like I said, the food distribution will be weekly, and that’s a really nice full box of produce they get to pick up,” Delgadillo said.

In November, 417 people signed up for the Panther Care Program, which is an excess of people from earlier in the year. To make sure they have enough to support all the new students that have signed up, the center has been ordering more food from vendors, giving out more food and giving out gift cards so that students who need support are able to buy groceries.

The personnel of the Panther Care Center consists of three full-time staff, two temporary employees, and nine student workers. When I had gone, I met the very welcoming staff that were operating the food distribution. They had pallets of food packages that they gave to every student who came in, along with a display of additional snacks and seasonings. 

The staff keep doors open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to allow time for students to swoop in and grab a package after class or when they have time. The Panther Care Center has also been accepting donations of food

“As long as it’s shelf stable, canned goods, and it’s not expired … that’s totally welcome,” Delgadillo said.

~ Additional reporting by Will Tomlin