BIGHORN Cares has donated $5,000 to support the DEN food pantry at the Palm Desert Campus of Cal State San Bernardino.

Food insecurity, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as, “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life,” can be a serious issue for many college students throughout the United States. Often, students go hungry in order to pay for college tuition and school expenses.

Knowing it’s difficult to learn on an empty stomach, in 2019 the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus opened the “DEN,” Delivering Emergency Nutrition, as a place for any student facing food insecurity who needs a healthy snack or a quick meal.
Students visit the DEN for food, fresh produce, hygiene items and CalFresh application assistance. The PDC DEN provides currently enrolled students with free food regardless of verified need and is committed to eliminating barriers, promoting student success and connecting PDC students with important campus and community resources.

Grant funds will be used for monthly produce distribution, in partnership with Feeding America Riverside’s Find Food Bank, as well as for providing educational workshops and activities through the CSUSB Department of Health Science and Human Ecology’s nutrition program using the CalFresh Healthy Living program model, which “supports healthy, active and nourished lifestyles by teaching Californians about good nutrition and how to stretch their food dollars, while also building partnerships in communities to make the healthy choice, the easy choice,” according to the CalFresh website.

“Our mission is to embrace equity and inclusiveness while supporting students who may experience food, financial and housing insecurities, are in need of emotional support, and/or are facing various challenges and adverse circumstances in their lives,” said Terri Anderson, director, Basic Needs & Student Support at CSUSB.

“In an effort to support PDC students in need, the CSUSB Department of Basic Needs & Student Support is dedicated to meeting students’ basic needs while promoting academic success and completion. We thank the board members of BIGHORN Cares for their generous gift and we appreciate their support,” said Anderson. “Through their donation, we will be able to accomplish many key goals, continue to grow basic needs services and work toward eliminating food insecurity to meet the needs of our students.”

BIGHORN Cares funds specific projects of local nonprofit organizations that demonstrate a need and are making a real difference in the quality of life for the people they serve.

Developed in 2014, BIGHORN Cares grants serve a broad range of people and programs – from educational outreach, afterschool services, maternity aid, disability assistance, shelter relief, foster care, health screenings and military programs. BIGHORN Cares has gifted more than $4.8 million through 502 grants to qualified nonprofits, funding serious projects that significantly impact those they serve.

“There are countless nonprofits in the Coachella Valley that need financial assistance for specific projects,” said BIGHORN Cares Chairman Joe Kirby. “BIGHORN is an extremely philanthropic, private club and it’s a pleasure to support as many organizations as we can through this program, knowing that it’s the individuals and families that ultimately benefit.”

​Visit the BIGHORN Cares website for more information about its programs and philanthropic endeavors.

For more information about the PDC DEN, visit the CSUSB Basic Needs website.

For more information about the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, contact Mike Singer in the Office of Strategic Communication at msinger@csusb.edu or (760) 341-2883, ext. 78107, or visit the PDC website at www.csusb.edu/pdc.