City College’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services will receive $750 from the Associated Student Government to help feed struggling students.

After receiving numerous donations, the program is providing students with healthy snacks and $10 meal vouchers for the cafeteria. Students in need can also retrieve toiletries such as shampoo and soaps. These can all be found in the program’s office located in the Student Services Center, Room 240.

“Students come hungry, the homeless students don’t have food,” said Program Director Marsha Wright. “And instructors have contacted me about it.”

Student senators discussed collaborating with the program but no official plans have been made.

Wright is currently keeping non-perishable snacks in the program’s office for students to eat before their classes. However, she said it is difficult to get the word out to students.

“We have the food,” Wright said. “We just need to figure out how to get it to the people.”

The director will provide vouchers for students to receive a $10 meal from the cafeteria in an effort to allow them to eat more substantial meals rather than snacks.

The vouchers will be a slip of paper that students would bring to the register. The cashier would then staple it to the receipt and the meal would be free.

However, it is undetermined how many vouchers a student may have access to each semester.

Wright’s main concern is that these students have full stomachs while at school.

“If you’re hungry and in need please come in,” she said.

Wright is planning to advertise the new food bank through Pipeline and by encouraging staff members to spread the message in their classes.

Senator Josh Villanueva has expressed interest in working with the food bank.

“I think if we collaborate as team we could figure out some kind of solution,” he said.

However, no official plans have been made with Wright.

In the meantime, the senate has agreed to donate $750 out of its fundraised budget to the food bank. Yet, not everyone agreed with that amount.

Some senators wanted to donate a lower amount of around $200, as they were uncertain if the program would be heavily used.

“Keep in mind that they have a lot of sponsors,” said Senator Angela Liu. “We’re just donating money for the sake of support, not really trying to help out.”

Others said that it is an issue that they’ve discussed often and is important to help.

“Helping out the homeless population has always been like a big thing for all of us,” said Senator Gaby Sole. “Them having our support is huge, since it’s such a big issue.”

After further discussion, eight senators out of the 10 present voted to donate the full $750.

The next student senate meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 20 in the Campus Center Room 223.