Fuel for Success: Montgomery College Forms a Partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank to Bring the Mobile Market Program to All Three Campuses
A Note from the Editors: This article and video is the first of many we hope will highlight how Montgomery College faculty, staff, and administration are recognizing and responding to the impact of food insecurity and homelessness on student success. Are you doing something in classroom, in your department or office, in your area of responsibility to address food insecurity or homelessness in order to improve student success? Consider submitting an article on your innovative ideas to the Montgomery College Innovation Journal:https://youtu.be/qLDdqSZ_iUs
Montgomery College has partnered with the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) to host its Mobile Market Program on call three campuses this academic year. Results from the first three markets have been extremely successful. Over 12,460 pounds of fresh produce was distributed at no cost to students and others, including the community. Students, faculty/staff, and community volunteers gathered to assist with this event.
More than 630 participants/households received fresh produce, equating to over 2500 persons (households combined) being fed. Of that number, nearly 650 were children, 80 were veterans, and approximately 225 were senior citizens. Additionally, participants received “prescription savings” pharmacy cards.
Through the development of the Student Health and Wellness Center for Success, Montgomery College is committed to innovative initiatives that address various insecurities that impact the learning conditions for our students, to include food insecurity, homelessness, mental health wellness and others. The Mobile Market Program is only one portion of the “Fuel for Success: Nourishing the Mind, Body and Spirit” initiative. It also includes supporting the campus food pantries and identifying community resources that address food insecurities. Because the CAFB is also dedicated and charged with servicing high-density areas with high rates of food insecurity, this is a perfect collaboration. The CAFB markets offer fresh, seasonal produce at no cost; health, housing, and other service providers are on site as resources too. We look forward to expanding our capacity to serve students and our community through internal and external partnerships.
At MC, we empower our students to change their lives, and we enrich the life of our community. We are accountable for our results.
To get involved and/or for more information about locations and dates for upcoming the mobile markets at each campus, visit
www.montgomerycollege.edu/fuelforsuccess. The mobile markets are operated solely by student, faculty/staff and community volunteers.
