Clearwater, Fla. – RCS Pinellas is pleased to announce its partnership with St. Petersburg College. As part of the partnership, the organizations will launch the RCS Express Center at the St. Petersburg College Midtown Campus on June 17. The RCS Express Center will provide prompt services as such as small meal ingredients, immediate turn-around referrals, and direct support related to homelessness, domestic violence, and energy assistance.
“Doing this type of work brings wins and losses every day. Every time a person, goes without food, or suffers abuse, or is without shelter or adequate living space, it’s a loss for RCS; a loss for us all. Likewise, each time a person who is food insecure has a meal it’s a win. Whenever we can provide safety and security for an individual or family who are faced with domestic violence, it’s a win. If we can provide a family with sound and clean shelter who find themselves suddenly homeless, it’s another win. Through this amazing partnership with SPC, we can create wins each day. We can provide immediate support services to students and the local community quickly. We can put out the ‘fire’ and help rebuild lives in short-order; in an express kind of way,” says Kirk Ray Smith, President & CEO of RCS Pinellas.
The RCS Express Center will have an anticipated impact on over 3,000 residents in Pinellas County. Programming will continue in established locations and will expand to additional locations as needed through strategic alliances and partnerships. Hours of operation for the RCS Express Center will be every Monday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
“We are excited to be partnering with RCS Pinellas to bring these important, and much needed services to our students and community. We know that nationally, over 50 percent of community college students are dealing with food insecurity and 14 percent have experienced homelessness in the last 12 months. This partnership will address the basic needs that often threaten the well-being of students and will support their ability to stay in school and graduate, helping them start on the path to economic prosperity for themselves and their families”, says Dr. Tonjua Williams, President of St. Petersburg College.
RCS Pinellas has provided help & hope to people in need for 50 years. RCS’s mission is to feed the hungry, help families facing homelessness return to self-sufficiency, and empower survivors of domestic violence. Over 130,000 Pinellas County individuals are served annually with dignity to accomplish this mission at the RCS Food Bank, the RCS Grace House, The Haven of RCS, RCS Affordable Housing, RCS Energy Assistance Program, and RCS thrift store partnerships.
For more information on RCS, visit www.rcspinellas.org or call 727-584-3528.
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