Students without stable living conditions depend on colleges for continuity

There’s a common notion that community college students live comfortably at home with their parents, in a cocoon of warmth and safety, with all the resources they need to succeed.

But that's not always true. Consider the story of a hypothetical Delta College student we’ll call Eric.

Eric grew up in the foster care system, moving from guardian to guardian. He came to Stockton for a fresh start, but hasn’t found a secure place to live.

So, for a few weeks he’ll sleep on the couch at a friend’s house. When that welcome wears out, he’ll sleep on the kitchen floor somewhere else. And when it’s time to move again, he’ll sleep in his car.

Between his part-time job at a fast-food restaurant and his never-ending search for housing, Eric is constantly in survival mode. He struggles with anxiety and self-doubt.

How can Eric, with all of his challenges, possibly handle college right now? Well, it’s actually college that helps him cope with those challenges. College is the one constant for Eric, the rock he clings to in the storm. The predictable schedule, the classes, the professors — he can rely upon them even when nothing else makes sense.

At Delta, it’s our job to make sure we hold onto students like Eric. Because he needs us.

Not all students face such serious obstacles, but Eric’s story is not unusual, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent survey, close to 60 percent of Delta students said they were struggling to meet their basic everyday needs. Forty-two percent had experienced food insecurity and 18 percent were homeless.

Little wonder why addressing students’ basic needs is a top priority at Delta. But we cannot do it alone.

At 6:30 p.m. April 22, the Delta College Foundation will hold its first major virtual fundraiser.

This event, “Delta Springing Forward,” aims to raise money for scholarships, textbooks, and transportation assistance for our students.

We invite you to attend to hear more about the direction of the College and to hear from students past and present whose passion for life and livelihood was sparked at Delta.

Simply log into the event at bit.ly/deltapsringingforward.

If you are able, we also invite you to donate online at deltacollege.edu/donatenow. Checks can be mailed to the Delta College Foundation, Attn: President’s Office, 5151 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95207.

Here’s what your generosity will accomplish. Textbooks will reduce the risk of students like Eric dropping out. Scholarships will pay for critical needs like food and housing. And transportation assistance will ensure students are able to attend class once we are again meeting in person.

In the end, Eric has the same hopes and dreams as the rest of us. He likes children, so he wants to be a schoolteacher. He wants his own family someday, too. He wants to take his kids to the park on Saturdays, and enjoy family bike rides along the river.

He wants to give them the kind of life he never had as a child.

Can you help give him that chance?