Valencia College, in partnership with Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation, has opened a new VCentials market at its Osceola Campus. The initiative aims to address food insecurity among students by providing free access to healthy food and hygiene products in a store-like setting.
The collaboration is a response to ongoing challenges faced by students, including increased living costs and limited access to affordable meals after high school. A financial contribution of $399,745 from Florida Blue and its foundation supported the establishment of the first VCentials market at Valencia’s West Campus in 2023, followed by this second location at Osceola Campus.
“In 2021, a Valencia survey revealed that a staggering 40% of our students reported food insecurity so severe that they skipped meals due to financial insecurity,” said Kathleen Plinske, president of Valencia College. “And that is why VCentials is so important. VCentials is not just a pantry. It is a dignified, welcoming market, where students can select fresh produce and healthy groceries free of charge. These markets give students one less barrier and one more opportunity to thrive.”
Tony Jenkins, Central Florida Market President for Florida Blue, highlighted the broader context: “A few years ago, the pandemic exposed an epidemic of food insecurity and many of our friends, neighbors and loved ones continue to face economic challenges, especially with the continued rise of inflation,” Jenkins said. “The food and essentials that will be provided here at VCentials are indeed truly essential – these items may be life-changing and lifesaving for some students.”
Lesley Frederick, vice president of student affairs at Valencia College, shared data on usage since the opening of the first market: “Since the first VCentials opened on West Campus, the resource center has had more than 60,000 visits,” Frederick said. “Perhaps most striking, 82% of those visitors reported living under the federal poverty level and 38% reported at least one person in the household under the age of 18. These numbers remind us that the need is real and that, together, we are making a profound difference.”
The new facility is located in Building 4 on Osceola Campus.
At Monday’s event announcing the new market’s opening, Florida Blue also stated it would provide an additional $3 million this year in grants to eight nonprofits across Florida working on food security issues. Two recipients are based in Central Florida: Advent Health Foundation and Grace Medical Home.
