We Care Wednesday persists on MCC campuses
Despite a change in leadership, We Care Wednesday will continue its food distribution events in February to all campus students, faculty, and community members battling food insecurity.
The event, which has taken place for over 8 years at Mesa Community College, underwent new leadership over the holidays. Balbina Garcia has taken over the event and its future proceedings in place of Adam Soto, the previous coordinator.
“I am proud to be part of a program that makes such a tangible difference in people’s lives. While the role comes with responsibility, it also comes with a deep sense of purpose. Knowing that We Care Wednesday helps individuals and families feel supported and cared for makes the work truly meaningful,” said Garcia.
WCW is backed by The United Food Bank, the sole provider of food donations since 2020. The partnership was built to help students focus on their education without the barrier of starvation, as well as the needs of faculty and community members outside of campus who face food insecurity.
Josette Raper, agency capacity specialist at United Food Bank, said supporting local food pantries means providing healthy, high-quality and nutritious food.
The first WCW event of the semester took place in the Navajo room from 9:00 a.m. to noon where about approximately 11 volunteers stood at eight stands, and they each distributed foods ranging from bags of canned food, fresh produce, eggs, potatoes and bakery items. As the clock hit 10:20 a.m., the registration line began to grow, and the room began to crowd with families and students carrying wagons, bags, and boxes for all the distributed food items.
“Coordinating my first We Care Wednesday was both rewarding and humbling. It was encouraging to see students, staff, and community members come together in a supportive and welcoming environment. While there were moments that required quick problem-solving, overall the experience reinforced how essential this program is,” stated Garcia. “Seeing the direct impact on individuals and families reminded me why food access programs like We Care Wednesday are so important to our campus and community.”
The lines began to shrink and the food began to slowly disappear from the tables at around 11:00 a.m.. Bakery goods and eggs were among some of the food items that quickly ran out by the end of the event, with only produce, a few bags of potatoes, and a dozen bags of canned and dry foods left.
Garcia noted some opportunities for improvement at the future food distribution events.
“Clearer signage and communication could help with traffic flow and reduce wait times, especially during peak hours,” noted Garcia. “Additionally, adjusting food quantities based on demand trends could help ensure that high-demand items last longer throughout the event.”
