The College of Lake County Share Market -- a free store for students providing food, school supplies and other resources -- fulfilled nearly 6,000 orders during the last school year, achieving its goal of helping remove financial barriers to student success.
Jackie Nowotnik, a student engagement coordinator at CLC, has run the program the last two years and said that while some of the inventory is donated from the community, the majority was funded through a one-time grant. "Donations are great and we appreciate them, but it's a couple of bags here and there," Nowotnik said." blew my numbers the year before out of the water."
"Whether it's, 'I need a snack today because I forgot my lunch,' or 'I need a notebook for class because I ran out,'" Nowotnik said,"we can provide a quick fix so as not to distract them from class."