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Many students working toward their education and career goals at Lone Star College System face external challenges along the way—some of which could threaten their ability to continue pursuing those goals.

LSCS’s CARE for Completion initiative aims to ensure that every student’s basic needs are met by offering resources for food, housing, clothing, employment, mental health and academic support. More than 3,500 CARE requests were submitted during the 2024-25 academic year, with financial assistance and food insecurity making up about half of those requests. Additionally, about half of the students who withdrew from all classes that school year had requested financial assistance.

“Through the CARE Program, Lone Star College System’s goal is to ensure students have what they need to graduate,” said Jaron Rider, LSCS executive director, Administrative Services. “With many students balancing jobs and family commitments outside of the classroom, we make it easy for them to request and receive crucial resources.”

One response to these requests is meal plan vouchers, which allow students access to a hot meal at their campus cafeteria. LSC Foundation distributes up to $350 in meal plan vouchers per student in need each semester. This included about 800 recipients in the 2024-25 academic year, totaling more than $280,000 in awards.

“When students don’t know where their next meal is coming from, they will struggle to stay on track academically. Meal plan vouchers help provide a sense of security for students who otherwise might go hungry,” said Nicole Robinson Gauthier, CFRE, LSC Foundation executive director.

Across the college system, students deal with issues accessing transportation, child care, housing, clothing and school supplies. LSCS leadership analyzes CARE requests to understand the highest needs and localize student services at each campus accordingly. While needs vary by campus, food insecurity is a notable concern at LSC-Tomball, LSC-Kingwood and LSC-University Park.

Students facing food insecurity are more likely to have lower grade point averages in addition to physical and mental health issues, compared to their peers who don’t have to worry about food. Campus food pantries provide free grab-and-go snacks, canned goods, pre-packaged meals, baby products, school supplies, personal hygiene items and other essentials for students in need.

Learn more at LoneStar.edu/Care.