Armed with a whole frozen turkey in an aluminum carrier, a smiling Santa Barbara City College student wearing a backward baseball cap darted toward a girl who had just stepped out of her parked car.
The students exchanged smiles, gratitude and all the Thanksgiving trimmings a small family could wish for Wednesday morning near the Winslow Maxwell Overlook on SBCC’s east campus.
The pair didn’t necessarily know each other, but both hailed from the college’s EOPS (Extended Opportunities and Program Services) CARE program, which provides much-needed resources to low-income students, especially those who are single parents.
Like every Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the past 20 or so years, about 25 current and former EOPS student volunteers handed out 150 free turkey dinners to full-time scholars in an all-too familiar predicament.
Those who couldn’t find a ride to campus received special deliveries at home or even elsewhere on campus — no excuses.
“They’re a single parent, so they have a lot of excuses,” said Danny Gonzalez, an EOPS technician at SBCC who’s organized the event the past three years.
Gonzalez had never baked a turkey himself until he received a free dinner eight years ago as a full-time SBCC student and single father of a now 9-year-old son.
Back then, the pumpkin pie and whipped cream didn’t last till Thanksgiving.
The next year he volunteered to help, and now he works for a program he loves.
“For EOPS, for our family, it’s tradition, too,” Gonzalez said of the meals. “I know it’s a good opportunity for them. It’s really going toward a good cause.”
Planning for the giveaway began in September and fundraising started even earlier.
The SBCC Foundation and EOPS threw fundraisers and collected private donations, bringing in the $5,000 needed to buy the turkeys, stuffing, carrots, rolls and more at a discount from Albertsons, with Jordano’s providing pumpkin pies and Lazy Acres Market offering free reusable bags.
SBCC student volunteers like 18-year-old Angel Cuevas proudly distribute them accordingly. Cuevas’ two older brothers were part of EOPS, so he understands a free meal’s value.
Milena Ramirez brought her 3-year-old son to daycare so she could volunteer Wednesday as an EOPS student worker who has also gone home with free food the last four years.
It’s one way the 21-year-old gives back, in addition to counseling other EOPS students just like her as a peer adviser.
“I hear the hardships they go through,” Ramirez said. “It’s a really amazing program. If it wasn’t for this, I wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving dinner.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
