The Roadrunner Hub is the basic needs resource center of Butte College, open Monday to Friday. It offers a well-stocked food pantry and a helpful housing assistance program, students are encouraged to drop by, to bring home a bag of groceries, or even just a quick snack or two.
OVERVIEW:
After receiving a food insecurity grant, Butte College’s Roadrunner Hub was established in 2018. Found in between the Student Health Clinic and the Veterans Services building, the Hub is open Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Friday from 8 am to 11:30 pm.
Kayla Mendoza offered some great insight into their operations and what they provide to students. Her role is acting as the center’s social media director and student assistant, primarily focusing on restocking food, managing the day-use lockers, making posters, and aiding students.
FOOD PANTRY & SNACKS:
Mendoza explains that students can come in and receive up to two snacks daily, from their snack shelf or the mini fridge in the front lobby. Their food pantry is always stocked with a variety of donations from generous people and local grocery stores, such as FoodMaxx and Safeway. She says there’s almost always “green beans, mac and cheese, and some kind of fruit” made available.
Avery Bernstein, another student assistant, enjoys “…doing food pickups and helping the pantry stay stocked.” And his favorite things found in the pantry are pastries and cakes, which are usually donated during the Wednesday pickups.
Students can easily apply for CalFresh by proving their enrollment status and linking the application to Butte College, skipping over a major step. This can all be done from their computer lab, right then and there.
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Pantry Shelves, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024
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Refrigerator with Bell Peppers and Milk, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024, Juan Valencia
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Pantry shelves stocked with Canned Foods, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024, Juan Valencia
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HOUSING RESOURCES & OTHER NECESSITES:
Funded by the Homeless and Housing Insecurity Pilot Grant, the Roadrunner Hub can assist students in locating and securing housing for “…any Butte College student who’s currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,” according to Mendoza. The Hub is also able to provide up to a month’s rent for students who are having trouble making ends meet.
Mendoza also explains that they offer hygiene products to take home by filling out a form, as well as “…a locker form that we can get students for fall and spring semester down at the gym.”
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Halloween Painted Pumpkins, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024, Juan Valencia
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Snack Shelf, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024
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Day-Use Lockers, Roadrunner Hub, Butte College Main Campus, Nov. 14, 2024, Juan Valencia
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
On Wednesday, November 20, the Roadrunner Hub will be hosting “Game with the Hub,” inviting students to a friendly competition in Nintendo Switch games while also giving an opportunity to learn more about their resources. This event will take place in the Nest at the Campus Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free pizza and refreshments will be made available to attendees.
Then, right before the end of the Fall 2024 semester, on December 11 at 11:30 a.m., they will host the “Free Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks” event at the Roadrunner Hub to give out food and introduce students to the benefits of applying for CalFresh. Bernstein cites these events as super fun and create a welcoming environment for the Hub, with the recent pumpkin painting activity being his favorite from this year.
For any further information, please contact the Roadrunner Hub through their website or at (530) 895-2978. Maybe even give them a follow on TikTok and Instagram for the latest updates!
