Investing in Education: Supervisor Janice Hahn and ELAC Foundation $40,000 Gift to Strengthen Basic Needs Support
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2023
News Media Contact:
Kevin Jimenez, College Public Relations Manager
(323) 265-8807 | @email
Investing in Education: Supervisor Janice Hahn and ELAC Foundation $40,000 Gift to Strengthen Basic Needs Support
SOUTH GATE, CA – Los Angeles County Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn joined East Los Angeles College (ELAC) Administration and The ELAC Foundation at the ELAC South Gate Campus on December 12th to present $40,000 total in donations to the ELAC Basic Needs Center.
Supervisor Hahn provided a $20,000 check to the ELAC Basic Needs Center specifically to help unhoused ELAC students find stable housing. ELAC Associated Student Union (ASU) also received a $20,000 donation check from the ELAC foundation. This money will be used to help purchase food and other supplies for the Husky Snack Shack and ELAC Basic Needs Center.
The ELAC Basic Needs center helps to provide food and other needs free of charge to ELAC students so they can focus on achieving their academic and career goals. ELAC has also partnered with the LA Food Bank to host food distributions for their community twice a month.
LACCD Board of Trustee President Nichelle Henderson, ELAC President Dr. Alberto J. Román, ELAC Foundation President Marissa Castro-Salvati, ELAC ASU South Gate President Leslie Reynoso, and ELAC Student Services Dean Dr. Sonia Lopez joined Supervisor Hahn to give remarks.
“These students should get the support they need so they can focus on their educations rather than where they are going to sleep tonight,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I applaud East Los Angeles College’s commitment to their students and doing everything they can to make services and support available free of charge.”
According to a survey conducted in 2023 of ELAC students. 65% of ELAC students answered sometimes true (46%) or often true (19%) when asked if within the past 12 months they were worried whether their food would run out before they got money to buy more. This is much higher compared to the national community college average of 33% sometimes true and 13% often true. 41% of ELAC students answered sometimes true (27%) or often true (14%) when asked if they had to worry about stable housing in the last 12 months. This is also higher than the national community college average of 21% sometimes true and 8% often true.
"Thanks to the unwavering commitment and generosity of LA County 4th district Supervisor Janice Hahn, alongside the dedicated support of the ELAC Foundation, East Los Angeles College is poised to make a transformative impact on the lives of our students. This collaboration exemplifies the power of community and underscores our shared commitment to fostering success and well-being at East Los Angeles College," said ELAC President Alberto J. Román.
About Los Angeles County Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn
Supervisor Janice Hahn represents the 4th supervisorial district of Los Angeles County which is home to more than two million people. The district covers 411.05 square miles and stretches from Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula through Long Beach and the Gateway Cities. The 4th supervisorial district includes portions of 32 cities, 18 unincorporated communities and four neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles. Learn more by visiting hahn.lacounty.gov.
About East Los Angeles College
ELAC is the largest of nine two-year community colleges within the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), www.laccd.edu. More information about ELAC is available online at http://www.elac.edu/. Follow ELAC on social media, Instagram @ELACHuskies, X @EastLACollege, and Facebook @Eastlacollege.