Thanksgiving. Friendsgiving. Day of Gratitude. How do you celebrate this day? Most likely, this day involves celebrating with food. Here too, culinary traditions vary by culture and upbringing.

This year, Pasadena City College, through a collaboration between the College's Partnership Resource Team (PRT) and Lancer Care Pantry, begins a new tradition to make November 25th special for its students who visit the Lancer Care Pantry, as well as its Allied Health/Health Sciences/EMT students. These students have been on the front lines of the pandemic with their chosen field/profession, and we want to create special holiday meal kits for them to express our gratitude. Kits will be distributed on November 17th and 18th.

2021 Schedule of Events
  • Foodraising, Nov. 1 - 12, 2021
  • Food Stuffing, Nov. 16, 2021
  • Food Distribution, Nov. 17 - 18, 2021
 

How to Get Involved

Give Food

November 1 - 12, 2021

Students can choose a "traditional" holiday meal kit or one with food items that reflect the cultural diversity of our students and campus.

Our partner Grocery Outlet already supplies the traditional food ingredients.  To help us with these culturally inspired meal kits, we are holding a food drive from November 1st to November 12th. We are asking you to donate one or more of these food items listed in the lists below. We are asking you to donate one or more of these food items in the lists below. Please consider shopping at Grocery Outlet in San Gabriel where if you add $8 to your $30 purchase, Grocery Outlet will provide a turkey for a PCC Student.

The following ingredient list was suggested by the Coalition of Asian Pacific Employees (CAPE).

  • Dried noodles:  vermicelli noodles, rice stick noodles, egg noodles
  • Dried Rice paper (for egg rolls)
  • Bags of rice: brown rice, white rice (like Calrose or jasmine rice)
  • Dried meats/protein (dehydrated):  shrimp, beef, chicken, pork (can be found at any local Asian market)
  • Chinese Sausage
  • Canned meats like SPAM or LingNam canned Luncheon meat
  • Tofu in sealed tetra briks (sold at 99 Ranch Markets)
  • Condiments:
    • Garlic powder
    • Sesame oil
    • Teriyaki sauce
    • Gojuchang paste
    • Oyster sauce
    • Dehydrated mushrooms:  shitake, oyster mushrooms, etc.
    • Soy sauce
    • Vinegar (black, white, red)
    • Miso mix
    • Garlic bits
    • Onion powder
    • Garlic salt
    • Salt & Pepper combo packs (can also be found at the 99cent store)
    • Fish sauce
    • Sriracha sauce
    • Sugar
    • Cornstarch
    • Brown Sugar
    • Black bean paste
    • Broth or bouillon cubes
  • Canned vegetables (like): canned baby corn, green beans, mushrooms, water chestnuts, corn, quail eggs
  • Dumpling wrappers

The following ingredient list was suggested by the The Association of Black Employees (TABE).

  • Lawry's Seasoning Salt
  • Apple cider
  • Barilla’s macaroni
  • Beef Stew  
  • Boxed corn muffin mix
  • Boxed dirty rice
  • Boxed Jambalaya
  • Boxed Mac n Cheese
  • Boxed stuffing
  • Canned black-eyed peas
  • Canned Corn
  • Canned green beans
  • Canned greens
  • Canned ham
  • Canned Meats*
  • Canned succotash
  • Canned sweet potatoes or yams
  • Canned tomatoes 
  • Chili
  • Cornbread Mix
  • Cranberry Sauce 
  • Dried/Canned Black Eyed Peas
  • Dried/Canned Red Beans
  • Dry Lima Beans
  • Gravy (can or jar or seasoning packet)
  • Grits, Instant or Regular
  • Ham, Chicken, Beef
  • Hormel Tamales
  • Hot sauce
  • Ice Tea
  • Instant Mashed Potatoes
  • Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  • Olives 
  • Peas & Carrots
  • Pies 
  • Rice
  • Rolls 
  • Stouffer’s Unseasoned Stuffing mix
  • String Beans, and Bush’s Baked Beans 
  • Stuffing
  • Tabasco Sauce

The following ingredient list was suggested by the Association of Latino Employees.

  • Avocados
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Beans
  • Brown Sugar
  • Canela Sticks
  • Chia
  • Chile califronia Pods
  • Chile Guajillo Entero
  • Chocolate Ibarra (Hot chocolate)
  • Condensed Milk
  • Corn
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Fideo
  • Garlic Salt
  • Green Beans
  • Ground Cumin
  • Horchata Mix
  • Jalapenos
  • Knorr Caldo de Pollo
  • Kosher Salt
  • La Lechera Condensed Milk
  • Maseca
  • Mozarella Cheese
  • Nestle Instant Coffee
  • Olive Oil
  • Onion Powder
  • Pasta Shells
  • Pillsbury bread
  • Piloncillo
  • Quinoa
  • Rice
  • Sugar
  • Tapatio
  • Tomato Paste
  • Tomato Sauce
  • Tortillas Flour or Corn

The following ingredient list was suggested by the PCC Joint Armenian Network (JAN).

  • Bulgur wheat
  • Chickpeas
  • Rice
  • Extra Virgin olive oil
  • Brown lentils
  • Tahini
  • Dried Eggplant
  • Jarred grape leaves
  • Tomato paste
  • Canned tomato sauce
  • Lavash bread crackers
  • Salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Paprika
  • Sumac
  • Zaatar
  • Dried Apricots
  • Dates
  • Pistachio Halva
  • Walnuts
  • Tea bags (sadaf)

  • Tourshi – pickled vegetables

Suggested Markets and Grocery Stores

Look for donation boxes in your division or department main offices from November 1st to November 12th. Offices are grouped in teams for details.  The team that donates the most food items will receive an honorary trophy to display for the entire year!

Give Time

November 16 - 18

Complete our staff participation form to sign up to help us prepare and/or distribute meal kits!

  • November 16: 10 am - 7 pm, join us in the Piazza to help assemble holiday meal kits. It will be a day of fun, food, snacks, friendly competition, and prizes!

  • November 17 & 18: We'll be organizing the distribution of the meal-kits in the Piazza. Sign up to support this opportunity to connect with our students. Meal kits for Allied Health students will be distributed on November 17th, starting at 9:00am.

Staff Participation Form

Give Thanks

We are thankful for the ongoing contributions of our staff, faculty, and community in continuous support of our students.