Stanbridge College Donates Over 500lbs of Canned Foods to Eliminate Hunger in OC

IRVINE, CA, July 04, 2012 (Press-News.org) Stanbridge College, a technical college that offers diploma programs and Associate, Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Healthcare and Information Technology, donated over 500lbs of canned foods in April and June to help feed the hungry in Orange County. Students, staff and faculty of Stanbridge College gathered together and donated vegetables, fruits, beans, and other canned food items to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. In June, one vocational nursing class donated over 150 cans of food to support the cause.

According to Ms. Adeline Justeson, Vocational Nursing instructor, "The students in FTV have really embraced the dedication to community service that Stanbridge College encourages. I am so proud of their contribution to this food drive."

The Spring donation drives encouraged donations to help eliminate hunger for those in need including the working poor, children, seniors on fixed incomes, single parents, the disabled, the homeless and individuals experiencing medical emergencies or recent job layoffs. According to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, it is currently estimated that 21% of Orange County or 615,000 individuals struggle with hunger in Orange County. 50% of those in need of food assistance are children or seniors. Unemployment and rising food costs continue to make the lives of Orange County families difficult as they take lower paying jobs or return to school for additional education. In partnership with over 470 member charities, the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County helps this issue by feeding more than 240,000 individuals each month.

The Spring Canned Food Drives are a part of the REACH - Beyond the Classroom Service Learning and Civic Engagement Initiative at Stanbridge College. The program encourages students to develop their leadership skills and utilize their education to help those in need in a structured learning environment.

In the past, Stanbridge has partnered with over 30 non-profits in Orange County and around the world. Stanbridge has worked to help the hungry and homeless by serving meals to over 400 homeless people each month at Lighthouse Ministries, serving holiday meals to veterans living in transitional housing, and providing the homeless students of Project Hope Alliance with lunches, clothing and school supplies.

For more information on REACH community service at Stanbridge College, please visit http://www.stanbridge.edu.

About Stanbridge College
Based in Irvine, CA, Stanbridge College is a co-educational, technical college with an annual enrollment of over 800 students. Founded in 1996, Stanbridge is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Stanbridge College offers diploma programs and Associate, Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Healthcare and Information Technology.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Stanbridge College received an award from Institutional Research & Evaluation, Inc., as one of America's Best Technical Colleges. Stanbridge has also been named to the 2009, 2010 and 2011 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. In 2008-2009 Stanbridge College was the recipient of the School of Excellence Award from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), and since 2007 it has maintained one of the highest continuous pass rates in California on the NCLEX-PN nursing exam, with a 96% cumulative pass rate. For more information, please visit http://www.stanbridge.edu or call (949)-794-9090.

About Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is working to eliminate hunger in Orange County. Through a network of nearly 500 local member nonprofits, the Food Bank distributes over 16 million pounds of nutritious food to our neighbors in need every year. Learn more about our work in the community - and how you can help - at FeedOC.org.