Long Beach Rotary Charitable Foundation

Feeding the Future 

Empowering Local College Students Through Nourishment and Hygiene

The Rotary Club of Long Beach is preparing for its sixth annual Feeding the Future Grab and Go event.  Your donation will help us pack 1,500 reusable string backpacks with food and hygiene products for at-risk college students. Your contribution will have a significant impact, as 100% of the donations we receive will be allocated to "Feeding the Future."  

We've put in significant effort to raise funds for this event, yet we face a shortfall. With the growing needs of Long Beach students and the rising costs of essential items, your support is crucial to ensure a successful event, allowing us to support up to 1,500 students.

Many colleges report that students sleep in their cars or struggle to find their next meal while balancing their studies.   Providing food is essential to addressing basic needs and helps students reach their fullest potential and goals.   We support the Basic Needs Programs at LBCC and CSULB who help students continue their education by reducing the stress of wondering where their next meal will come from so they can focus on their studies and accomplishing their goals.

Today, the ‘traditional college student’ is not the reality of our college students.  In a recent survey, nearly 50% of students have experience food insecurity in the previous 30 days. And now there is an increased population of parenting students that are on their own.

Since 2019, The Rotary Club of Long Beach has donated 7,500 Grab & Go bags plus approximately 15,000 pounds of food and hygiene items for the pantries at both campuses through the Feeding the Future program.  The need is on-going, and we encourage others to assist in supporting for our local students.   

Testimonials:

-The pantry is a real blessing in my life.

-Having this resource has made the difference between going to bed hungry and being able to concentrate on my studies.

-Without food from the pantry, I would sit in class with my stomach growling, unable to focus.

A Message to Our Donors:

A $25 donation will provide a student with a bag that contains two-days of ready to eat meals and nutritious snacks as well as a bag of essential hygiene items.

Did you know: 

In 2022, 43% of CSU undergraduates experienced food insecurity*.

The Viking Vault food pantry at LBCC serves 1,000 students monthly.

The ASI Beach Pantry at CSULB recorded 13,154 visits in the last academic year, not including visits to alternative distribution sites set up for more students in need.

Inflation and a rise in students who are food insecure have added increased pressure to keep the pantry shelves stocked.

*Report by the University of CA Special Committee on Basic Needs.

Thank you in advance for your donation; you will be making a difference in the lives of at least 1500 local college students!