Butte College resource provides help to students facing uncertainty
It will open the doors to its new facility during Tuesday event
When Butte College students experience distress such as food or housing insecurity, or other emergencies, they can take comfort in knowing a campus resource stands ready to help.
And now, the Roadrunner Hub Basic Needs Resource Center — which Butte established in 2018 to meet the needs of students facing food shortages — will open in its new location on campus Tuesday.
The center has an open house scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day to show off its new facility and welcome students and explain its services.
According to school officials, the Roadrunner Hub became an integral part of the college’s efforts to meet the needs of students following the Camp Fire disaster in November 2018 as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to a newly implemented state policy, Butte consolidated all of its basic-needs resources under a coordinator’s direction fall of 2022. It relocated the center shortly afterward from an instructional portable to its new central location with other student services centers. The expanded center provides access to food, housing assistance, hygiene items and mental health support, serving approximately 225 students each month.
It’s a need not always obvious, but which has a significant effect on learning.
“It is difficult for students to be successful if they’re hungry or unsure of where they will sleep,” said Maisue Thao, Butte College’s basicneeds coordinator. “Food and housing insecurity can lead to lowered academic performance, poor attendance and reduced persistence among students.”
“We are excited to be able to expand our basic needs resources for our students,” said Butte College Superintendent and President Virginia L. Guleff. “We recognize that many of our students are facing significant challenges outside of the classroom, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support them.”
Tuesday’s event will feature facility tours, free lunch, opportunities to meet with staff, community resources, prizes, giveaways and refreshments. All are welcome to attend.