07/14/2026
Come on out to Picnic in the Park on July 22nd to help support Pat's Pantry!
We are so glad to have this resource for CCC Students and are thrilled at how it's grown since its inception. Momma Pat saw a need and stepped up, and we're so grateful that we get to continue her legacy by supporting students in need 💙
Food insecurity is experienced by around 48% of students at community colleges. This, coupled with the fact that the national average age at first enrollment has risen to 21 years old, with the average age of students being 26, means that many students are also parents, with around 14% being single parents.
Students who are food-insecure are 43% less likely to complete their degrees, and they also experience reduced sleep quality, poorer nutrition, and higher anxiety levels.
95% of colleges (community colleges, tech schools, and 4-year institutions included) offer a food pantry, making it the most popular campus support program. In 2024, Swipe Out Hunger reported that campus food pantries distributed over 8 million meals and approximately 687,000 additional items, including toiletries and diapers. These programs are becoming increasingly needed among students, with the University of Oklahoma reporting that pantry participation more than doubled in recent years, jumping from 180 students and staff served to over 450!
Again, we are so happy to provide this service to CCC students and are thankful to the Rotary Club of Colby for their support! Come out and enjoy some yummy sloppy joes at Picnic in the Park on the 22nd!
(Statistics from Feeding America and Swipe Out Hunger)
The Colby Rotary Club will serve lunch July 22 at Fike Park, with donations benefiting the Pat Keiser Food Bank at Colby Community College.
