Triton Student Resource Hub now open!

Edmonds College has created a one-stop resource center on the north edge of campus to support outside the classroom needs of students. Located in the Olympic Building, the Triton Student Resource Hub houses the Triton Food Pantry on the first floor and other emergency resources on the second floor. Assistance available upstairs includes a 2-1-1 community resource advocate, a financial emergency navigator, and an outreach specialist for veterans.

The food pantry located in the Triton Student Resource Hub serves 50 to 70 Edmonds College students daily.

“We started talking before COVID-19 about how we can best consolidate all the services on campus that provide emergency funding all in one place,” said Associate Dean of Workforce Programs Charlie Thompson. “There are so many different groups on campus that can help students in need, but they all have different criteria and methods of distributing the funds. We now have one place for students to come that simplifies their ability to receive much-needed help.” 

The college recognized that many students experience financial hardships, food insecurities, need counseling or want assistance accessing community service programs. If not addressed, many of those students would not be able to succeed in the classroom or would be forced to withdraw from school. The Triton Student Resource Hub aims to provide individualized responses to students’ basic needs in a safe and welcoming space.  

“It is essential that Edmonds College can assist our students experiencing food and housing insecurities or financial emergencies,” said Edmonds College President Dr. Amit B. Singh. “Thanks to funding from grants and generous donations from our partners, we can support many students and allow them to continue their educational pursuits without external interruptions.”

The food pantry encompasses the entire first floor of the Olympic Building and has proved to be an essential mainstay of the Triton Student Resource Hub, serving 50 to 75 Edmonds College students per day. In data collected from 2021 fall quarter grant applicants, 17% of respondents were unsure of where their next meal would come.  At the Triton Food Pantry, students with an EdPass can pick up a grocery bag of food and personal hygiene supplies. Commodities typically available include non-perishable food items such as canned food, pasta, grains, dried fruits, and other shelf-stable items. Additional offerings like diapers, personal hygiene products, and nonperishable items that people can use for their entire family are available. 

Above the food pantry in the Olympic Building, valuable resources await students with other unmet needs. Through grants, the school added a 2-1-1 community resource advocate to help students and the general public in Snohomish County with many unmet necessities, including rent or utility assistance, food resources, counseling, free phones, prescription assistance, or other needs. 

Students can also work with an emergency grants care navigator to apply to receive emergency funding for food assistance, transportation, utilities, child expenses, healthcare, homelessness prevention, and housing navigation. In the fall of 2021, 175 students applied to receive financial aid to meet their needs, and thanks to generous grants, over $150,000 was distributed to students.

A veteran outreach specialist is also available in the Triton Student Resource Hub once a week. The specialist helps raise awareness of resources and supportive services to all eligible veterans. In addition, the specialist can advise homeless veterans and provide academic and career counseling to veterans transitioning out of the justice system. 

The Triton Student Resource Hub is made possible by many grants and donations from partners like: 

• EC Foundation
• Student Emergency Assistance Grant (SEAG)
• Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness Grant (SSEH)
• Veteran Resource Grant
• Workfirst Student Assistance
• City of Edmonds College Rescue Grant
• Verdant Health Commission
• Volunteers of America Western Washington

“The one thing that makes our particular program unique is that we receive community support and funds,” said Thompson. “We have grants from the Edmonds College Foundation, the state, and the city of Edmonds. They are all interested in helping students succeed.”

Earmarking a donation for the Triton Student Resource Hub is easy. Donors can contribute online or mail a check to the Edmonds College Foundation or donate online, and put "Triton Student Resource Hub" in the comments. Checks can be made out to the Triton Student Resource Hub and mailed to: 

Edmonds College Foundation
20000 68th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036

Hours of operations of the Triton Student Resource Hub are currently Tuesday: 3:30-5:30 p.m., Wednesday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and Thursday: 12-3 p.m. The hub is located at 7010 196th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036.