Bakersfield College
09/19/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/19/2024 16:12
Renegade Nexus Pantry Program to Be Honored with Certification Ceremony
Renegade Nexus Pantry Program to Be Honored with Certification Ceremony
09/19/24
Thursday, September 19, 2024
The Renegade Nexus Pantry is receiving Gold Certification through the CalFresh Healthy Living Team's Nutrition Pantry Program (NPP). The certification ceremony will occur on Monday, September 30, 2024, at 10:00AM in the breezeway of the Campus Center near the pantry. Bakersfield College administrators and members of the Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) will be present to celebrate this special honor. Students, staff, and community members are also invited to attend the ceremony.
The NPP combines the best practices of healthy pantry work grounded in trauma-informed principles and processes that promote client and community-centered distribution. The NPP supports the strengths of each pantry by offering technical assistance, resources, idea sharing, and connection to the community. Recognizing that all pantries are different, staff and volunteers at the pantry site work with Leah's Pantry to identify site and client-specific needs in the following focus areas: cultural and dietary accommodations, nutrition education, environment, inventory, community connections, and policies & procedures.
Over the past year, the Renegade Nexus Pantry worked with the CalFresh Healthy Living team to gather student feedback and implement changes to increase student's nutrition education. The pantry hosted a five-week nutrition education series and offered $250 for groceries to each enrolled student who completed the course. They also implemented a labeling system in the pantry to identify healthy food options by highlighting whole grains, low-sugar items, and more. These efforts and improvements, along with other considerations, helped the pantry achieve NPP's Gold level certification which means there was evidence of commitment to at least 5-6 of the focus areas (mentioned above).
Congratulations Renegade Nexus Pantry for receiving this special recognition. Thank you for your team's hard work and dedication to enhancing the educational experience of each student who enrolls at Bakersfield College.