Community College in Christiansburg holds a food drive to help its students

Posted: Dec 3, 2020 / 04:18 PM EST / Updated: Dec 4, 2020 / 04:47 AM EST

CHRISTIANSBURG, VA (WFXR) — On Thursday. New River Community College (NRCC) held a food drive and food donation event at its Uptown Mall site.

Another food drive event will be held on Friday, Dec. 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its NRCC Dublin campus. This is just one of the many ways NRCC helps out its students. The NRCC has many resources to help those struggling during these difficult times due to COVID-19.

“We were just looking for ways to outreach and to facilitate our students needs to try to reach them where they are in these tough times… so, one of the things we just got done with the holiday basket last week, but we knew that there were a lot of students that needed food, toilet paper… what ever it might be.”
Mark Hanks – Student Resource Specialist – New River Community College-

Student Resource Specialist at NRCC, Mark Hanks, explains that nationally community college students struggle with many issues, including homelessness and food insecurities.

“Last year as I was looking at taking this job and started looking at some of the needs out there… I think the number is between 15% – 18% of community college students are homeless, and then 40% – 50% suffer food insecurity.”
Mark Hanks – Student Resource Specialist – New River Community College–

The boxes of non-perishable food are for anyone enrolled in classes at New River Community College.

“We’ve got some breakfast type stuff with oatmeal and some granola, some vegetable type stuff, potatoes and things like that. It all obviously has to be non-perishable, so we can’t get too fancy.”
Mark Hanks – Student Resource Specialist – New River Community College-

For more information on all the resources NRCC offers its students, click here.