August is Back to School Month, and while many students wish their summer vacation would never end, for students who face food and housing insecurity, returning to school means finding stability as college campuses offer valuable assistance for them to meet their basic needs. 

The number of California college students experiencing food and housing insecurity is on the rise as shown in the 2023 Food and Housing Survey: Understanding Students’ Basic Needs. This survey found that 66% of students across all higher education segments were identified as food insecure, and 53% were housing insecure—an increase from the previous survey in 2022. 

It also found that community college students experience housing insecurity at a much higher rate than students enrolled in 4-years universities. 65% of students enrolled in the California Community Colleges (CCC) system face housing insecurity, in comparison to 52% of students enrolled in the California State University (CSU) and 27% of students enrolled in the University of California (UC) systems. 

Beyond the risk of becoming unhoused, community college students are one hardship away from dropping out of college because of financial instability. Whether it’s an unexpected financial emergency, transportation costs, childcare expenses, or simply the high cost of living, students need that critical assistance at the right time that will help them stay in college.

To support Los Angeles community college students dealing with those financial hardships, United Way of Greater Los Angeles launched the Student Success Fund initiative to provide the assistance they need to stay on track with their academic or career goals. 

UWGLA partnered with the Los Angeles Community College Foundation (LACCF) to distribute flexible funds that students could use to cover expenses from housing to books, internet service, and health or family-related emergencies. Last Spring semester, Los Angeles Trade Technical College (LATTC) and Los Angeles City College (LACC) distributed from $300 to $500 in assistance to over 100 students. 

Many of the recipients of the flex funds shared they needed the financial assistance to support their children. The Empowering L.A. Parenting for College Success report found that nearly 1 in 3 female and 1 in 8 male students enrolled in Los Angeles Community College District are parents, and less than half have regular access to safe, reliable childcare. Over 60% of those parenting students are at the poverty level, but only 36% receive public assistance. 

“I am a single parent of 3 children. I am a first-generation college student in my family. I graduated from high school in 1996. I come from a low-income family and want to make a change in my family. I need this scholarship to help with my success and to help pay for my living expenses,” wrote one student in the application for flex funds. “Currently, I receive welfare which is not enough to cover my bills. This scholarship is an immense help and is appreciated. Thank you, United Way. I will make a commitment to do well with the donor’s investment.” 

Another student shared, “As a single mother and someone who works only one day a week while in school this award is a big help to me and my family. I will get to use this money towards groceries and necessities for my daughter so again thank you so much for this award!” 

“The Student Success Fund exists to help students stay in school instead of taking on extra work to keep up with the high cost of living in Los Angeles or to cover unexpected costs like repairing their car, paying rent or groceries,” said Martha Maciel Serratos, Education Programs & Policy Manager at United Way of Greater Los Angeles. “We are proud to provide the assistance students need in times like this and we hope we can continue expanding to other colleges and help as many students as possible.”   

To learn how to contribute to expanding our Student Success Fund and our Mentorship Program, please contact Martha Maciel Serratos at mserratos@unitedwayla.org 

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