Living Well Center Takes Action

At Vanguard University of Southern California, located in the city of Costa Mesa, California. The university offers a resource center known as The Living Center for its community. The Living Well Center is located in Room 106 inside the Smith Hall. It is open on Tuesdays from noon to 4 p.m. and on Wednesday’s & Thursday’s from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center strives to help provide the basic needs of its students and faculty.

As said by Jennifer R. Sian, a student worker at the Living Well Center, “the resource center started its mission because of the food insecurity based at the college.”

She stated during the months of January 2020 and February 2020, 272 students including staff, accessed the food pantry.

The university believes this center provides a sense of community and security. Jennifer Sian says she recalls during her freshman year at the university there was a division between the on-campus students and the commuters. By denying access to the commuters, a place where they can sit and have lunch, they created a division.

Therefore, the Living Well felt a need to eliminate the insecurity, “The Living Well Center’s mission is to help the community members overcome burdens of food and housing insecurities so they can put all of their will and power towards their knowledge, cultivation of character and faith.” (Vanguard Edu)

Image Credit: Emily Dodge

The Living Well Center’s largest private non-profit supporters are the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Amanda Lebrecht. Amanda Lebrecht is the Associate Dean of Student Success; she is driven to uphold a successful resource center by dedicating her time and effort.

“The student-led initiative strives to provide the community with support and supplies to hinder their academic success.” (Vanguard Edu)

Other resources in line with the mission of the Living Well Center are Qoheleth Ministries. These highly encouraged outside resources are voiced for the families of Vanguard students along with the community of the surrounding area. Jennifer Sian states how Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, who the center reports to monthly, help donate important appliances for the center. During the interview she mentioned that the fridges were a donation from the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Samson’s Career Pop-Up Closet is one other project encouraged by the Living Well Center. This is their stated goal, “provide students with the appropriate attire and resources for networking event” (Vanguard Edu).

“They provide professional clothing, and they also work with career services to have mock interviews and headshots as well,” stated Jennifer Sian. The center aims to encourage Vanguard students to volunteer, donate, and network through social media platforms such as Instagram.

Similarly in an article made in 2018, by Feeding America, “the MSU Student Food Bank, [was] the first college food pantry run by students for students. Tim Miller, Associate Dean of Students, who helps run the George Washington University pantry with the help of a student group says, eventually we did a survey and found that an astounding 40% of students struggled with hunger in some way throughout the month. Hunger can force students to choose between books and food, and even hold them back from receiving an education.”

To this day the Living Well Center continues to support their community weekly.

Aguilar’s submitted list of sources:

“Vanguard University.” Living Well Community Resource Center, www.vanguard.edu/resources/academic-resource-center/living-well-community-resource-center.

Callahan, Colleen. “College Food Pantries Keep Students from Choosing between Food and Books.” Feeding America, 16 Feb. 2018, www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-blog/choosing-between-books-or.

Aguilar, Jazmin S, and Jennifer R Sian. “How the Living Well Center Staff Are Doing the Best They Can to Help Vanguard Students?” 15 Sept. 2021.