Delaware County Community College has expanded its food pantry and student resource center to end food insecurity for its students, writes Justin Udo for KYW Newsradio.

It is partnering with Wawa and Philabundance to feed the student population.

“Almost 50% of the students said if we offered food within a food pantry to address food insecurity, they would use it,” said Dr. Kendrick Mickens, who runs the pantry.

DCCC has since distributed more than 2,000 pounds of food per month.

With help from a $75,000 Aqua grant, the college was able to move the pantry and center to a 1,000-square-foot facility, three times larger than its last space.

“Last year, we had 2,400 student visits during the course of the year, which is pretty huge,” he said. “But we didn’t have the space and we had boxes on top of boxes. It was just very hard to operate in that environment.”

The facility, can serve up to 15 percent more students. In just the first week of the new semester, 300 students have visited the center, double last year.

Along with food, the Essential Student Resource Center and Food Pantry offers feminine hygiene products, toiletries and school supplies.

Read more about the community college’s expanded student resource center at KYW Newsradio.