Grand Rapids Community College students and staff gathered in the Juan R. Olivarez Student Plaza on July 10 to celebrate the Michigan Hunger Free Campus initiative led by the Center of Student Life and Leadership.
Valerie Hargraves, Director of Student Life and Leadership, took the stage at 11 o’clock sharp to begin the main event: A program of speakers coming together to discuss the implementation of GRCC becoming a Hunger Free Campus.
“Our expanded food pantry–built through partnerships with Feeding America West Michigan, Meijer, and the GRCC Foundation–is making a difference every day,” Hargraves said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the College Action Project on Food, Housing, and Emergency Funds led by Sandy Gregory and Lina Blair helped build the infrastructure for the food pantry we have today. Thanks to their vision and hard work, students enrolled in at least one class at GRCC, whether for credit or workforce training, can access weekly groceries from the pantry or apply for a free $11 meal credit.”
While many on campus think an $11 per week meal voucher is worth celebrating on its own, Hargraves said there is even more to be happy about.
“Thanks to Representative Carol Glanville’s advocacy, GRCC received $125,000 this fall to expand food access through the Hunger Free Campus initiative,” Hargraves said. “This Funding enhances our pantry and ensures more students have access to free, nutritious meals.” The impact of these efforts can be seen in the perspectives of students who benefit from them every day.
Adeline Butts, a second-year education major at GRCC and the Communications Director for Student Government, shared her appreciation for the Hunger Free Campus initiative in a speech. “It’s been very beneficial,” she said, sharing that she uses her meal voucher weekly, often at the Quiet Café. “I can treat myself without feeling like I’m wasting money.”
Nadia Battles, second year student in GRCC’s nursing program and 2024-2025 All-Star Student Employee award recipient, took the stage next and spoke about the impact of the meal voucher program in her life. As a commuter with a 45-minute drive into campus, Battles said the program has been a source of support in her day-to-day life.
“It’s a great backup plan when I don’t have time to pack food,” Battles said, “It takes the stress away from worrying about if I’m hungry or going to be able to eat.”
As the student employee for the Student Life and Leadership Department, Battles frequently shares information surrounding the meal voucher program and sees how much it means to fellow students.
“I hear so many students say such great things,” Battles said. “It’s really just the small things that make a big difference in today’s world.”
Eldin Causevic, president of GRCC’s Student Government and previous front desk student employee for the Student Services department, also reflected on the difference GRCC’s meal voucher program has made for his daily life as a student.
“It’s helped me a lot,” he said. “I remember sitting at my desk in Student Services, you know, not having the money for food, and I thought, well, I can apply for this program, go grab something from Subway, you know, because I’m there most of the day,” Causevic said. “I mean, $11 a week is nothing to play with, there is plenty of money to use—whether it’s vending or food or coffee.”
Causevic, along with Student Government Vice President Amelia Haywood and Treasurer Itai Aharon, want students to know that in addition to the Hunger Free Campus program, there are resources all over campus available to students in order to help them succeed. Contact the student government via email (studentgovernment@grcc.edu) to get connected to a multitude of resources at GRCC. In addition, follow them on Instagram to be in-the-know about all things Student Government @grccstudentgov.
