COD awards students $10,000 grants for community service
Approximately three dozen College Corps volunteers will soon be recognized for collectively spending upwards of 16,000 hours fighting hunger in the Coachella Valley as new students follow in their footsteps.
"While education fills our minds, giving to others enriches our souls," said College of the Desert Interim Superintendent/President Laura Hope. "These students learned valuable lessons beyond the walls of a classroom and truly impacted the lives of people across the Coachella Valley."
The College Corps program was established in Fall 2022, and granted $10,000 in paid fellowships and scholarships for College of the Desert students who volunteer at least 450 hours over the course of a year at FIND (Food In Need of Distribution) Food Bank, with its headquarters in Indio.
The 34 students who participated in the College Corps cohort will be formally recognized during a ceremony on Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. at the College of the Desert Indio Campus, located at 45524 Oasis Street. 56 additional students will be sworn in, collectively completing nearly 25,000 hours of service combating food insecurity.
The participating students serve at the College's central pantry on campus and FIND's warehouse, mobile pantries and distribution centers.
"We should all be inspired to see an even larger group helping to provide food and dignity to others," said FIND Food Bank President and CEO Debbie Espinosa. "These volunteers were instrumental to our workforce development programming, building their own skills for employment, through helping those who are in need of food assistance."
To learn more about the College Corps Program at College of the Desert, visit collegeofthedesert.edu/students/basic-needs/college-corps.php.
