The food pantry makes its appearance on Moorpark College campus once again with its reopening on Tuesday, Sept. 13, which offers students and families in need of food with Grab & Go groceries.

The food pantry is in full availability to students from the Ruben Castro Charities, a non-profit community-based organization every Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.

Sharon Manakas, the Student Health Center Coordinator tells us that this is the second time in the last year that she is able to offer Moorpark College students the access to food by a local food pantry, this being due to over the years seeing students sleep in their vehicles and struggling with finding what to eat.

“What we have for college students and Moorpark itself is called ‘The working hungry’, people have jobs and they’re using every resource they have in order to just to have a place to live.” Said Manakas. “Paying for books, and paying for college… there’s not much left for food.”

Food is provided in concert with Foodshare Inc out of Oxnard, the USDA, and the State of California in association with Food Link and allows Grab & Go Groceries to consist of fresh foods such as fruits, dairy, and breads.

Ruben Castro Charities is a non-profit community-based organization committed to eliminating generational poverty, headed by Alejandro Castro, Ruben Castro’s grandson, who wants to ensure that the mere issue of food doesn’t impede students from succeeding in school.

“We wanted to make sure we were able to feed students. That was pretty much the number one priority,” Said Castro. “For Ruben Castro Charities, one of our main areas is students and education, so Moorpark College Grab & Go Groceries was perfect to do that.“

At the pantry no one is the denied the access to food, simply a requirement to fill out a form for the Ruben Castro Charities with the information of the person wanting to get food is required and there are no restrictions to how much food a person can take. The only restrictions would apply to canned foods and drought boxes, which vary depending on the numbers of households.

The necessity of this program is clear as the pantry is already helping students who would otherwise have no means feed themselves.

“This place literally saved me last week! If my buddy didn’t mention this to me I would’ve literally starved last week!” Said a student who wanted to remain anonymous. “I’m going to take more bread this week, I ate a lot of bread last week.”

For more information on more information regarding the pantry or the Ruben Castro Charities, feel free to visit www.Rubencastrocharities.org or calling (805) 248-7113.