The Valley Chronicle - Padilla Joins Santa Monica College Volunteers for Annua

SANTA MONICA, CA — Ahead of Thanksgiving, U.S. Senator Alex Padil_x0002_la (D-Calif.) volunteered today with Santa Monica College (SMC) for their 2nd Annual GIVING THANKS(giving) Holi_x0002_day Grocery Drive-Thru Giveaway. Padilla joined dedicated SMC volunteers, along with state and local officials to provide fresh holiday groceries to 1,500 food insecure students.

“As we approach Thanks_x0002_giving, it is important to support each other and our communities, and give back when we can,” said Senator Padilla. “I was proud to join Santa Mon_x0002_ica College and regional partners for their annual holiday food drive to make sure students have access to fresh food and grocer_x0002_ies this holiday season. But this is also a stark re_x0002_minder that there is more work to be done to address student food insecurity, an issue that existed since be_x0002_fore the pandemic. I’ve in_x0002_troduced the BASIC Act to give students the resources they need to stay focused on their education. No stu_x0002_dent should have to worry about meeting their basic needs while pursuing their education.”

“Having Senator Padilla attend today’s event is so powerful because it raises the importance of giving back to our community,” said Lizzy Moore, presi_x0002_dent of the Santa Monica College Foundation and Santa Monica College’s dean of institutional ad_x0002_vancement. “The Santa Monica College communi_x0002_ty is grateful for his leader_x0002_ship in the Senate to push for the BASIC Act and oth_x0002_er legislative proposals to address the dramatic rates of food insecurity that ex_x0002_ists on all college campus_x0002_es including Santa Monica College.”

Even before the pandemic, 50 percent of California Community College stu_x0002_dents were food insecure. Senator Padilla has been a strong advocate for ad_x0002_dressing food insecuri_x0002_ty and ensuring students can meet their basic needs while pursuing a higher education. This year, Pa_x0002_dilla introduced the Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act, bicameral legislation to ensure college students are able to meet their ba_x0002_sic needs while pursuing their education. Specifi_x0002_cally, the legislation pro_x0002_vides $1 billion for grants to ensure institutions of higher learning have the resources they need to support their students’ most fundamental needs, and directs the federal government to stream_x0002_line data sharing across agencies to help students qualify for aid – particu_x0002_larly Pell Grant recipients and attendees of commu_x0002_nity colleges and minori_x0002_ty-serving institutions.

Senator Padilla also joined his colleagues in intro_x0002_ducing the Student Food Security Act of 2021. This bicameral legislation helps address food insecurity on college campuses by en_x0002_abling more low-income college students to access the Supplemental Nutri_x0002_tion Assistance Program (SNAP), improve data col_x0002_lection and sharing, and create a new grant program to help colleges and uni_x0002_versities support their stu_x0002_dents.