“These people in Stockton, they need as much help as they can get because it’s getting really bad out here. Say, if you have any food laying around … That doesn’t mean like expired food, if it’s expired food throw it away. If you have leftovers or anything for the holidays… put it in a tupperware or put it in a baggie and actually give it to the homeless. ‘Cause these people don’t eat for days. You guys have a home, you have everything. They don’t have nothing. All you can pretty much do is help,” said Jeremy Rodrigus, a member of the Delta College Foster Youth Program.
On Nov. 28 Delta’s Foster Youth Center welcomed students and faculty to assist them in building and distributing lunches for the homeless population around the school.
Dameion M. Renault, Delta’s Foster Care Education Manager, said the day was dedicated for “the campus to get to know more and more about what we do and how we serve this population.”
November was Homelessness Awareness Month, and in honor of this the program wanted to involve the campus in an event.
The initial “Lunch Building” project needed to be rescheduled due to the school’s closure in response to the poor air quality from the Camp Fire.
“It wasn’t hard to reschedule after the school shut down. It was difficult getting students on campus once the school was shut down. Students who would’ve volunteered their time now have something else planned because their schedules got pushed back,” said Patty LaMar, Student Program Assistant for the Foster and Kinship Care Education Program.
The Foster Youth Program can be found in Budd 205.
Roughly 65 lunches were built from 10 a.m. until noon.
Ed Aguilar, Manager of Student Equity helped out a lot according to Hailey Lopez, a mentor in the Foster Youth Building.
It rained on Nov. 28 but the two groups scheduled to deliver lunches to the homeless weren’t discouraged.
Kueleza Vega, a writing tutor for the Foster Youth Department said the group of students and faculty working within the department are close-knit and willing to help with anything they can.
The Foster Youth Department regularly offers food, hygiene products and connections to housing and necessities for students at risk for homelessness.
“Who we serve are students of Delta College that are struggling with homelessness or foster care or formerly incarcerated. Our target is on serving in this way is connecting students with housing everyday so [this event’s purpose is to] raise awareness that we’re here- we’re able to provide service. We’re here, to politely connect the homeless population with help,” said Renault.
Currently eight students at Delta are known to be homeless and many more are in poor living situations.
The Foster Youth Program is designed to be all inclusive of students in need.