Left to right (Blanca Corral, Alfredo Hernandez, Tinamarie Squieri from Smart and Final Charitable Foundation, Megan Tena, Dr. Aris Mosier)
Smart & Final Charitable Foundation Donates $10,000 to Support Student Success
It's hard to concentrate on coursework when you're hungry. Phoenix College's Bumstead Resource Room exists to make sure that's one less thing students have to worry about, and a new $10,000 gift from the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation will help it support even more students who need it. Supporting students extends beyond the classroom. A $10,000 donation from the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation will strengthen Phoenix College's Bumstead Resource Room, helping students stay on track when unexpected challenges arise.
The Smart & Final Charitable Foundation invests in organizations that advance education, hunger relief, and healthier communities. Phoenix College's Bumstead Resource Room reflects that commitment by connecting students with food, personal care items, and other everyday essentials, helping them address temporary challenges while staying focused on their education.
Since opening in 2022, the Bumstead Resource Room has become an important campus resource for students facing food insecurity or other unexpected challenges. During the 2025–26 academic year, it served 957 unique students through 4,724 visits and distributed more than 25,000 food and household items. Utilization has grown by nearly 70% since the Resource Room opened, underscoring its important role in helping students overcome challenges and continue their education.
"We're grateful to the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation for their generosity and partnership," said Aristotle Mosier, manager of Student Life and Leadership at Phoenix College. "Support like this helps us continue creating opportunities for students to succeed."
"We're proud to partner with Phoenix College to support students through the Bumstead Resource Room," said Tinamarie Squieri of the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation. "We're honored to invest in students through a program that helps them stay focused on achieving their educational goals while removing barriers to accessing food."
Learn more about the Bumstead Resource Room and other services available to support Phoenix College students.