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San Diego Continuing Education to Hold Free Monthly Food Distribution Beginning December 5

SDCE’s Farm to Family Fair Open to Students and Public

November 26, 2018

San Diego Continuing Education Outreach Ambassadors Prepare for SDCE’s Farm to Family FairToday, San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE) announced its grand opening of Farm to Family Fair. The event is taking place on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 at the Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) at 4343 Ocean View Blvd., San Diego, CA 92113 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

SDCE’s Farm to Family Fair is the school’s first free food distribution in partnership with San Diego Continuing Education Foundation, Feeding San Diego, and Project New Village. SDCE students, the Mountain View Community and surrounding residents will have access to free fresh produce at ECC once each month beginning December 5.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Supervisor Ron Roberts, District Attorney Summer Stephan, Councilmember David Alvarez, Councilmember Georgette Gomez, Councilmember-Elect Monica Montgomery, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Constance M. Carroll, Ph. D., San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees President Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D., and SDCE’s President Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph. D. will welcome visitors to SDCE’s Farm to Family Fair from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“This is an exciting new opportunity to directly impact the communities of Southeast San Diego,” stated Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D., SDCE President. “A student’s academic success can be tied to the support available to them beyond the classroom. Completing one of SDCE’s career training programs is one of the fastest paths for individuals to get out of the cycle of poverty.”

SDCE is the largest noncredit institution in California and serves large populations who come from rural areas and inner-cities. In some cases, enrolled students have dropped out of high school as teenagers and are coming back to school for the first time, decades later. Others are immigrants, refugees, formerly incarcerated or opportunity youth.

“Our main goal is to make sure our students succeed from start to finish,” said SDCE Dean of Student Equity, Maureen Rubalcaba. “We serve students that are among the most diverse in California culturally, ethnically and educationally. SDCE’s Farm to Family Fair and SDCEats! will help address some of the barriers our students face which is housing and food insecurities.”

Current SDCE students who need immediate nourishment can access SDCEats! food pantry at the ECC campus in between classes for quick energy.

An estimated 486,000 (1 in 7) people in San Diego County experienced food insecurity in 2016, reported San Diego Hunger Coalition.

SDCE’s Farm to Family Fair will distribute from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and shoppers will receive a complimentary SDCE tote bag to store their fresh produce.

The free mobile health fair will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A broad range of health and social services including Kaiser Permanente Mobile Health Vehicle, Jackie Robinson Family YMCA, Mental Health America, SDCE’s CalWORKS department, Health and Human Services Agency and Project New Village will be in attendance on December 5. Community organizations will rotate monthly.

Prospective students will be able to experience SDCE’s 70+ free high-quality career training programs including Automotive, Family Home Daycare, Business and Culinary through interactive exhibit booths. They will also have the opportunity to tour the campus and talk with SDCE faculty about completing their high school diploma, college transition opportunities, pathways to citizenship and free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.

SDCE serves nearly 40,000 students annually across 7 campuses located across San Diego communities from Barrio Logan to Miramar.

SDCE is the adult education division of the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD). Many students complete their high school diploma or career certificate program at SDCE and then transition to a SDCCD college, City, Mesa and Miramar Colleges.

Community organizations may exhibit at SDCE’s monthly Farm to Family Fair. Service providers will have the opportunity to interact and provide information to SDCE students and Southeast community members. 

Allura Garis
619-319-0209
agaris@sdccd.edu