Hunger Action Heroes Podcast
Season 02, Episode 12
Dr. Jennifer Kent, President of Victoria College
Each episode, host Chris Doelle sits down with someone playing a vital role in the Food Bank of the Golden Crescents mission of “Helping Heal the Hurt of Hunger.”
Host: Chris Doelle
Guest: Dr. Jennifer Kent, President of Victoria College
Episode Summary: Dr. Jennifer Kent discusses the mission of Victoria College and its vital partnership with the Food
Bank of the Golden Crescent to support student success by removing barriers like food insecurity.
Key Topics
• Dr. Kent’s Background: A ninth-generation Texan with 29 years in education, she returned to the region after starting her career in Port Lavaca.
• Victoria College Mission: Focused on changing lives and providing upward economic mobility through a trained regional workforce.
• The Pirate Pantry:
• Purpose: To eliminate the shame of asking for help and provide essential supplies to students, many of whom are first-generation college students or parents.
• Location: Highly visible on the first floor of the new Student Success Center.
• Offerings: Includes non-perishable staples (pasta, rice, beans), refrigerated perishable items, and non-food essentials like diapers, formula, and toiletries.
• Operations: Open Monday–Thursday; students can receive up to 10 food items and 5 non-food items per week.
• Educational Pathways: The college provides a “front door” for everyone, ranging from GED and adult education to quick certifications and pathways toward Master’s degrees in partnership with local universities.
• Community Support: The pantry relies on donations from the Food Bank, college employees, and the local Victoria community.
Food donations always welcome at the Food Bank year-round.
The Title Sponsor is H-E-B’s Hunger Relief Program. H-E-B’s Hunger Relief Program works year-round to fight hunger in Texas and Mexico. Hunger relief has been a key focus for H-E-B since the first store opened in 1905. For more than a century now, H-E-B’s commitment and involvement in the communities it serves has been an important part of the way the company does business. Since the inception of the Hunger Relief Program, H-E-B has donated over 1 billion pounds of food to help nourish neighbors in communities throughout Texas and Mexico.
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