Each year, students face many forms of service or resource insecurities. Of the many insecurities a student may have while at LLCC, food insecurity is often one of the most basic and personal insecurities to navigate. As a campus community, we have risen to this all-too-common challenge by establishing the LLCC Food Pantry and other events and programs throughout the year to support those in need.

As you can imagine, holidays like Thanksgiving are difficult because many lack the resources to have a Thanksgiving meal. Back for a second year, one initiative that has risen this year to help combat food insecurity faced by our students is called Operation Full Belly: Help for Hungry Students. Operation Full Belly is a joint venture between LLCC Student Life, Child Development Center, Police and Foundation to offer students in need a chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

To make Operation Full Belly a success, we need your help. Through Tuesday, Nov. 15, Student Life will collect food items donations in the office or through one of the collection boxes around campus. View a list of what to donate to the LLCC Food Pantry this November.

At the same time, the Foundation will be collecting monetary donations through Tuesday, Nov. 15. Funds collected as part of Operation Full Belly will be used to purchase grocery baskets and gift cards for our students who have indicated a need for assistance this Thanksgiving holiday.

If you can contribute, please visit www.llccfoundation.org/donate, choose “Pay it Forward” from the drop-down menu and in the comments type: Operation Full Belly: Help for Hungry Students. Cash/checks can also be dropped off in the Foundation office, indicating that the gift is for Operation Full Belly: Help for Hungry Students.

If you have any questions about Operation Full Belly, please reach out to the Student Life staff at studentlife@llcc.edu or 217-782-2241.