Daniel

"The program has really been a blessing. It’s not just the food or the money that they provide, but it takes away some of the stress and worrying about textbooks or transportation that makes it hard to study and focus.”

Rubicon’s Fresh Success program at Diablo Valley College (DVC) connects students with essential resources so they can focus on their education. Whether it’s providing groceries through Cal Fresh, transportation stipends, or purchasing textbooks, the Fresh Success program can be a lifeline for those who don’t receive the same support through financial aid.

For Daniel, a DVC student currently enrolled in the Fresh Success program, connecting with Rubicon has been a game changer. “The program has really been a blessing,” Daniel says. “It’s not just the food or the money that they provide, but it takes away some of the stress and worrying about textbooks or transportation that makes it hard to study and focus.”

Daniel first learned about the program when he was receiving groceries on site at DVC. There he met LaReese Stitts-Hunt, Fresh Success Impact Coach for Rubicon Programs, who shared more information about the program and helped Daniel apply. LaReese not only connected Daniel with more grocery money through Cal Fresh, but she also provided him with a transportation stipend and free textbooks through the Fresh Success program.

“I was planning on borrowing the books from the library and making photocopies as best as I could,” Daniel says. “But then they ordered the books for me and had them sent to me for free, without credit card debt, without a loan. It was a relief.”

As a lifelong resident of Contra Costa County, Daniel understands some of the barriers that people in the East Bay face when it comes to education and career advancement. He received a B.A. in International Business in 2017, but a traumatic brain injury and his interactions with the healthcare system caused him to pursue a new interest in public health. “I just see the differences in the way some people are treated, and I want to do something to help,” Daniel says. With one semester left at DVC before he graduates with an A.S. in Public Health, Daniel is exploring advanced degree programs and plans to obtain a Master’s in Public Health in the next few years. He wants to use his degree to reduce disparities in public health outcomes based on socioeconomic status.

“I’m all for Rubicon and what they’re about,” Daniel says. “Eliminating poverty, helping people, changing systems; this is what I want to do.”