Basic Needs, CARE, CalWorks, and the Student Parent Hub is hosting a campus-wide donation drive throughout September to support LBCC students balancing college with raising children.
The September shower drive, held in recognition of National Student Parent Month, comes as LBCC expands resources for a growing population which college officials say has often gone unseen on campus.
LBCC student Abraham Marin knows all too well about the struggles of balancing student life and parental responsibilities.
“As someone who babysits, I see how hard it is to raise kids, work and go to school. It’s nice to see people come together and offer support because it’s not easy and many students that are parents here probably don’t get enough help,” Marin said.
On the 28th of the month, donations will be collected for Swap, Shop and Share and parents will be able to come by the TTC campus from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to collect supplies as well as swap toys and clothes for their children who have outgrown their current items.
Donations past September will be used in the school’s holiday event where there will be toy workshops for low income families, with the mission to help alleviate the guilt that comes with the holidays and not being able to afford presents.
“LBCC is leading a lot of community college efforts for student parent support. We received grants 3 years ago and that’s when the movement really happened and we developed a lot of support and partnerships for student parents,” says Christina Barrios, the director of the event and of EOPS, CARE, and CalWorks.
Barrios is one of the key figures in leading efforts in assistance for student parents as well with the assistance from other directors, coordinators, counselors at LBCC such as Joanna Hernandez, Justin Mendez as well as others.
Nationally, around 35% of undergrad students are parents with LBCC having a significant population at our school at around 63% for 5,100 students said both Hernandez and Barrios.
“The parenting student population has been unseen for a really long time. I’ve had students tell me that they’re scared to tell people because they don’t want to be judged for being a single mom or seen as a failure. They don’t want to be picked for class projects because they’re balancing responsibilities of being a parent. The parenting students are constantly negotiating, ‘do I disclose that I’m a parent, do I disclose that I’m juggling all these different responsibilities or do I stay silent about it?’,” Hernandez said, an assistant director of EOPS, CARE, and CalWorks.
These offices, these services are designed to uplift and offer a safe space for students to get the support that they need to succeed and achieve their educational goals.”
Ruben Amaboro, LBCC’s Senior Library Tech, said “I was a single father working two jobs with three daughters going to school. I was a single father, working two jobs with 3 daughters. I wish there was something like this available to me when I was in school. It was really rare 30 years ago.”
Students can find donation bins at LAC Basic Needs B-103 and Human Resources T-1045, as well as at TTC in the CalWorks office GG-217 and Student Union EE-102.
Donations such as diapers, baby wipes, gently used clothing, toys, and any other items for babies and young children are suggested but monetary donations are welcomed as well.
“Monetary donations will be transferred to the LBCC foundation, where it is then allocated for parent emergencies, workshops and events,” says Vanessa Morales, an assistant at Basic Needs.
Common struggles among student parents include adequate childcare, housing, general financial struggles and legal.
In addition to September Showers, LBCC offers assistance to student parents in other ways such as parent mental health workshops led by mental health workers on campus and legal help for welfare, custody, and other emergencies through CalWorks.
The Student Parent Hub on TTC in room BB208 also provides support, providing a quiet environment for parents to work while simultaneously providing activities for children with sensory toys and the like.
LBCC first-year student Emma Monroe shared her perspective, saying, “Raising children has always taken a village, my mom says. So, knowing that LBCC shows up for students in so many different ways, even in this area, is refreshing.”
“It can help parents feel supported, especially if they aren’t receiving that support in other areas,” said Monroe.
Each semester, the Basic Needs Center alone serves around 2,000 students weekly across both campuses.
Many of those students return for services, showing that these centers continue to be an important resource for students who need support.
LBCC hopes to remind student parents that they do not have to balance school and parenting alone.
