“Food insecurity? In Westchester County? How could this be happening in such an affluent community?”

That was Sophia’s first thought when she was approached to fill the role of Associate Director of Student Support Services at Westchester Community College (WCC).

Sophia, determined to do mission-driven work, never found Westchester to be a place that needed her attention. But through her role she was surprised to discover this was not the case.

After learning the data of how many Westchester residents are actually dealing with poverty, Sophia realized she had found the perfect place to make a difference.

Students at WCC seek the help of Sophia and her Colleagues when they find themselves in difficult situations and in need of extra support. There’s many reasons that a student may go to Student Support Services:

“Students come to us if they are experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, challenges with health insurance or childcare, transportation barriers, or even when they are behind on their rent or facing eviction. Our office is a hub where students can find support for these essential needs,” Sophia explained.

Sophia describes the services her team provides as a stepping stone for students to thrive:

“If a student is worried about how they are going to eat, where they are going to sleep, or how to cover basic expenses, it’s almost impossible for them to focus in the classroom. By addressing those needs first, we’re making it possible for students to actually show up and succeed.”

She envisions the center to be a place of warmth and welcome:

“Our goal is to create a holistic center — a space where students feel comfortable walking in, know they’ll be treated with dignity, and can access what they need. From there, we connect them with both campus and community resources to help stabilize their situation.”

Unfortunately, the struggles that students face hinder the success that they can have in the classroom, and Sophia is determined to not let that happen!

One major way she tackles this issue is through the campus pantry.

“Many of our students are balancing school, work, and family responsibilities, all while navigating financial challenges. Having a pantry right on campus gives them convenient access to food, which means they don’t have to sit in class hungry or miss pantry hours elsewhere in the community.”

Through the pantry, students can meet a basic need so they can focus without being hungry.

“Having it here makes such a difference. It’s a one-stop shop — students can grab what they need without adding another trip to their already stressful schedules.”

But students are not the only ones who benefit from this service.

“We’ve even had seniors and other community members ask if the pantry is open to them. Because we are an open-access campus, we will never turn someone away who is in need of food.”

And thankfully for these community members, the pantry operates year-round!

Sophia understands the necessity of the pantry… and the numbers prove the need.

“52% of our students indicated food insecurity that they receive services from our office…in a month, there are 400 students visiting our pantry.”

She is quick to point out that none of this would be possible without WCC’s partnership with Feeding Westchester:

“With limited budgets, the only way we can keep our shelves stocked is through Feeding Westchester. Their ability to provide low-cost or no-cost food items has been essential to keeping the pantry open and meeting student demand. The volume they provide is unmatched.”

She adds:

“When we see a gap that we can’t fill, Feeding Westchester has always stepped in. They’ve been amazing about supplementing food, helping us identify grant opportunities, and looking for creative ways to support our students and their families.”

The truth is, without Sophia WCC students would not have the guidance they need to flourish.

Her devotion to her work can quite literally be defined as one of a local hero. Because of her, Westchester Community College students are nurtured, supported, and given what they need to reach their fullest potential.