During the COVID-19 pandemic, Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College, ASCOCC, have been doing their best to provide services that are beneficial to students. The one charity that continues to deliver time and time again throughout the pandemic is the food bank.

Since COVID-19 has shut down the Central Oregon Community College campus, students have been picking up food from the ASCOCC food bank by request. The ASCOCC usually hold food drive events or keeps the campus center open for anyone who is willing to pick up food. Food donations are not as common as food delivery.

“We don’t usually receive too many donations,” says Student Body President Julia Russell. “We use a fund within our budget to stock our food banks.”

Now with the rise of coronavirus, students will often ask for food from the food bank by sending an email to either the Student Activities Coordinator Gordon Price, or Julia Russell. From there, the bags of food get delivered to the student.

When it comes to people who are involved in the food bank, it is mostly students. However, because of the COVID-19 virus, the food bank is open to COCC students and non-COCC students alike.

“We try to more or less push the resources that are in the community for people that aren’t students and then leave our food bank for the students,” says Julia Russell.

People are allowed to pick up food any time. The ASCOCC office usually has their doors open for anyone willing to donate or pick up food from the food bank. Due to COVID-19, this has changed.

“The food bank is open on all campuses during normal business hours, from mornings to evenings,” said Gordon Price.

Now it is open during the same hours, but the service is remote. COVID-19 has impacted how many people would typically pick up food. Not a lot of people within the community are aware of the ASCOCC food bank. The students would only notice through advertising on campus.

“We want to make sure that our students have their needs met, that they can eat, study and be happy,” says Julia Russell.

Now is the time to pick up food from the food bank. Julia Russell and Gordon Price want to make sure students are happy and healthy in these times. Contact Julia Russell at [email protected] or Gordon Price at [email protected]. Both are available for food requests and will deliver as soon as possible.

(Jack Peeples/ The Broadside).