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Clackamas Community College will welcome President Tim Cook on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 3 p.m., as part of his statewide Running for Oregon Community College Students (ROCCS) campaign. This will be stop number 15 on his 17-college route across the state to raise awareness and support for basic student needs.

Cook is running more than 1,500 miles over 50 days, averaging 32 miles per day, to visit all 17 of Oregon’s community colleges. The campaign, which kicked off June 16, aims to spotlight the growing need for basic resources such as food, housing, child care and transportation that often create barriers to student success.

The event at Clackamas Community College will include a welcome celebration and brief remarks from Cook about his journey and the ROCCS mission. The visit puts Cook on the homestretch to Mt. Hood Community College and then the finish line at Columbia Gorge Community College in Hood River.

Statewide, more than 200,000 community college students face ongoing challenges, with more than 40 percent reporting food insecurity and 20 percent reporting homelessness in the past year. A survey from The Hope Center highlights the pressing needs of Oregon's community college students:

• Food insecurity: Approximately 41% of students reported experiencing food insecurity within the previous 30 days.
• Housing insecurity: About 52% of students faced housing insecurity in the past year, which includes difficulties such as affording rent, utilities or the need to move frequently.
• Homelessness: Nearly 20% of students experienced homelessness in the past year, indicating a lack of stable and safe housing.

Funds raised through ROCCS are distributed directly to each participating college to support students in need. To learn more or contribute, visit run4orccstudents.org. 

ROCCS is supported by Rivermark Credit Union, Johnson RV, Daimler Truck North America, The Ford Family Foundation, Jim Laden and Rep. Rob Nosse, and the CCC Foundation.

Follow the campaign on Instagram at @run4orccstudents and read Cook’s blog at https://run4orccstudents.blogspot.com/.