No Kid Hungry Louisiana has named Sandra Roberson a 2022 Hunger Hero.
Sandra is Director of the Cavalier Care Center, which houses the college’s food pantry. According to No Kid Hungry Louisiana, Hunger Heroes are the ones who have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond, to ensure children and families within their communities are fed.
During the pandemic, Sandra and the Cavalier Care Center team provided weekly and everyday food boxes for students as well as holiday meals. Winning the Hunger Hero award is a big achievement, she said, as it recognizes their daily mission.
“My desire has always been to serve and give back to my community by always putting the needs of others first, before my own,” Sandra said. “When I do that, I empower students to perform at their best. This award shows we are on the right path, but more importantly it gives attention to the students we are serving.”
The Cavalier Care Center centralizes wrap-around services aimed at addressing the insecurities that are barriers to success for BPCC students. In partnership with Single Stop USA™, the Center screens students for programs like S.N.A.P., WIC, Medicaid, affordable housing, childcare and more. The Center’s services also include a food pantry, career closet, laptop loan program, and an emergency grant fund.
“At BPCC, we want to address the impact that poverty has on our students,” said BPCC’s Chancellor, Dr. Rick Bateman, Jr. “We stand in awe of the burdens our students carry… rather than in judgment at how they carry them. We will do everything within our power to keep them enrolled through completion because that’s how we realize our purpose.”
To date, the Cavalier Care Center has served more than 400 students and has provided more than 30,000 pounds of food through the food pantry.
For more information, visit www.bpcc.edu/CavalierCareCenter or call (318) 678-6148.