De Anza hosted an open house for its grand opening Resource Hub, located in the Resources and Student Services building, which provides students with groceries, drinks, toiletries, resources housing and tutoring services on Dec. 6.

The open house provided a table of food, drinks, toiletries, hygiene products, notebooks and coats for 80 students in attendance. Additionally, the organizer also has a raffle for students with prizes including: a toaster, a crockpot and a gift card.

Dennis Cima, executive director of the Foothill-De Anza Foundation said that the services students are able to have here are provided by the school and the Basic Needs Center.

“We have a little bit of everything going on,” Cima said. “We provide toiletries, food and we help students access additional resources in the community such as tutoring, health and housing.”

The Basic Needs Center also has a mobile food pantry which comes to De Anza’s campus two times a month to provide students with fresh and packaged groceries, according to Nazy Galoyan, Dean of enrollment services.

“It all started with a little table of snacks,” Galoyan said. “And now it’s grown into this big operation. We have a lot of students using these services, especially the food pantry.”

Galoyan said the program is meaningful because it helps a lot of students who struggle financially.

“I used to see students in the cafeteria grab food, only to realize they had no money to pay for it. Seeing that made me want to cry,” Galoyan said. “We must do something about that, and now that we have funds we can.”

President Lloyd Holmes, said he hopes the basic needs of students are further recognized and accommodated for in the future.

“My hope is that we outgrow this space,” Holmes said. “Because we’ve recognized that what’s most important is our kids, our students and the connections that they’re able to make once their needs are met.”

Robin Latta, assistant director for the Foothill-De Anza Foundation, said on behalf of the foundation that she’s proud the organization was able to support creating the space.

“We are proud to help support the hub for our student’s basic needs,” Latta said. “Our community is very interested in and wants to support our students.”

The Foothill-De Anza Foundation is also currently working on the “Hope Initiative” which aims to raise $3 million dollars in order to provide for student’s basic needs on campus. Latta said they have already raised $1 million dollars from donors.

So far in 2023 the Resource Hub has helped over 1,200 students, according to Latta, with its programs and food pantry.

Cima said that he wanted to emphasize the importance of this program.

“The work that De Anza College is doing for the basic needs of students is fundamental to their education,” Cima said. “Folks can’t come here to study and transfer if their basic needs are not met and there is a lot of demand by students for support.”