Combating Campus Hunger: HTC Sustains Daily Food Assistance and Meal Programs for Students and Staff

Combating Campus Hunger: HTC Sustains Daily Food Assistance and Meal Programs for Students and Staff

Holy Trinity College of General Santos City (HTC) continues to strengthen its commitment to campus food security through sustained initiatives that provide food assistance to students and personnel experiencing financial difficulties. In support of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, the institution implements food redistribution and meal assistance programs to help ensure that members of the Trinitarian community have access to food.

One of these initiatives is the College’s Surplus Food Redistribution Program, which turns excess food from the main campus canteen into daily assistance for individuals in need. Rather than allowing surplus meals to go to waste, the College distributes approximately one to three excess meal portions to identified students, including regular and working students, as well as campus support staff facing immediate financial difficulties.

The meals are discreetly packaged and distributed daily during canteen closing procedures, typically between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. This practice addresses two important concerns: reducing food waste and providing immediate food assistance to members of the campus community who may otherwise struggle to secure their meals.

In addition, HTC sustains a long-standing Student-Athlete Meal Program, providing free daily meals to 10 student-athletes. Funded directly by the institution, the program prioritizes athletes experiencing financial hardship, non-resident varsity members, and working student-athletes who balance their academic responsibilities with training and competitions.

Recognizing the importance of proper nutrition in athletic development, the initiative helps ensure that student-athletes receive consistent meal support to maintain their physical health, concentration, and athletic performance. What began as a student welfare initiative has become a continuing institutional commitment to supporting the nutritional needs of its athletes.

Through these complementary programs, Holy Trinity College demonstrates that addressing hunger requires both immediate assistance and sustained institutional support. By extending food assistance to students and personnel while minimizing food waste, HTC continues to foster a more caring, inclusive, and food-secure campus community.