Homeless While Studying: Colleges step up to help Colorado students facing food and housing insecurity
SOUTHERN COLORADO (KRDO) -- The housing crisis and inflation are hitting a new group of people in southern Colorado, college students.
According to the College Board, the average in-state college student pays about $28,000 a year, and almost half of that goes to room and board.
The Community Table is located on Pikes Peak State College's Centennial Campus. It's a pantry where students can come in to pick up some basic needs items, all for free. This help is critical for many of those students who are on financial aid or scholarship money and don't have much else.
“Some of the stories are sad to hear, but it is great to know that we are here to help people who are in that type of situation," said Suzanna Cruz, a Pikes Peak State College student who works here as part of her work-study.
The Community Table also helps people like Christopher Fischer. Fischer, born and raised in Colorado, decided to go back to school after his life turned upside down.
"I ended up sleeping in my car for about two weeks before I gave up and realized I wasn't going to find any help in my car because I am just driving bar to bar and running out of money," explained Christopher Fischer, a Pikes Peak State College student.
Fischer was homeless just a few years ago, struggling with substance abuse.
"I slept on the streets off 8th street for a couple nights and the sidewalk one night, found a cardboard box, and laid on it," said Fischer.
He eventually got himself sober and went from living outside to the classroom. Now, he's enrolled at PPSC as a student studying Radio/TV Broadcasting. Fischer applied for financial aid and school grants. His work-study helps him with food and housing. He has enough to cover school, but not much else.
"But now a regiment is what it is, said Fischer. "To wake up at 6 a.m. to be on the bus by 7 and to go to school and be in the work-study program keeps me busy from 8-5 and to have a bus pass is integral in that part too."
With the help of a school program called Single Stop, Fischer has access to resources that are designed to help keep him afloat.
"It hurts me to see some students are in such difficult situations, but yet they are prevailing in their academics and that is truly inspiring," said Kandy Ruiz, the Single Stop Coordinator at PPSC.
According to a 2020 Real College Survey by the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, 14% of students at both two and four-year institutions around the country were homeless or housing insecure. And that same year, around three in five college students faced some form of basic needs insecurity.
In Durango, there's a similar program in place at Fort Lewis. The Grubhub Pantry helps feed students, and a new rapid rehousing program aims to find students a bed as soon as possible.
"We did identify 28% of our students experienced homelessness in the last 12 months," said Stella Zhu, the basic needs coordinator at Fort Lewis.
One of those students is Jason Pettit. Pettit was homeless and living in a truck for about three years until receiving the program's help.
"It has been remarkable for me when I look back at where I was just a little over four years ago," said Jason Pettit, a Fort Lewis student.
Pettit is set to graduate with a degree in psychology in May and he's currently living with a community member who was willing to let him stay in their basement. He's grateful for the bathroom and bed, but his favorite thing about staying here is having a desk.
"But I like having things around and to see that oh ya that was what I was writing about, or forgot about that idea or website or book," said Pettit.
Sometimes the little things mean the most. Both Pettit and Fischer are proud to be college students, but both agree more resources, funding, and state-run programs are needed to help with the crisis.
"When you see students that are living in their vehicles they are obviously willing to sacrifice a lot to try and get an education," said Pettit. "But to me, they are the students you really want there."
Colorado as a whole is seeing more schools launch basic needs programs and numerous schools operate food panties for their students. Resources are listed below.
Adams State University
Aims Community College
Colorado Mesa University
Colorado Mountain College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Fort Lewis
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Pikes Peak State College
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
University of Colorado Denver
University of Northern Colorado
Western Colorado University
