A special drive-thru food distribution event with Whole Foods sponsored by El Camino's Business Division and the Retail Management Certificate program last month brought 260 cars to the curbside Warrior Pantry for bags of groceries full of soup, salad, other food, and hygiene kits. El Camino's Student Health Services added a bag filled with additional items to go with the hygiene kits. El Camino also joined several Los Angeles County agencies for a special on-campus food distribution sponsored by Los Angeles County Second District Supervisor Holly Mitchell. Dozens of L.A. County employees and volunteers loaded more than 2,000 cars with boxes of frozen, fresh, and shelf-stable foods that included fish sticks, dairy products, and menudo preparation kits. In addition to the food, boxes of masks, sanitizer and other personal hygiene products were distributed during the drive-thru event. Check out The Union's video coverage of this event.
Working with these valued partners helps support our students facing food insecurity. When the campus temporarily closed in response to the fast-moving outbreak of the coronavirus last March, the Warrior Pantry quickly transitioned as well, offering a twice-weekly curbside distribution of groceries and toiletries to all El Camino College students. The curbside Warrior Pantry has reported more than 6,600 student visits since its launch in late March 2020. Students can visit the pantry from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in Parking Lot B, with access from Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
How You Can Help
El Camino staff and faculty are invited to donate new personal care items every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the drive-thru Warrior Pantry to support our students. Small, hotel-size, or regular-size items are needed: bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, diapers and wipes, feminine products, hand sanitizer, tissues, toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss. Donations will be accepted in Lot B, off Manhattan Beach Boulevard.
