Meet Promise Funchess: A Peer Navigator Helping Mt. Hood Students Put Food on the Table

Christian Ilechukwu

The Advocate

As many students wonder how to stretch their grocery budgets, one student is making it her mission to lighten the load. Promise Funchess, an MHCC student with a warm smile and a drive to help others, has stepped into the role of peer navigator for the Student Basic Needs Coalition (SBNC).

“I became a peer navigator for a few reasons,” Promise said. “Mainly, I enjoy helping and supporting others. Additionally, I believe students—especially at Mt. Hood Community College—should have the knowledge and access to resources, especially when those resources are in place to help us flourish and stress less.”

Promise says her mission is to ensure no Saint goes hungry or stressed over basic needs. As one of Mt. Hood’s new peer navigators for SBNC, she connects students to resources like SNAP for food assistance and more.

“I love helping people; it’s why I want to study nursing,” Promise said with an infectious smile that makes you want to

chat with her right away. “I really got involved because every student deserves to know about these resources. They are out there to help us thrive, not just survive, and many of us are missing out.”

And she’s right. In Oregon alone, thousands of college students qualify for SNAP benefits—think an EBT card loaded with money for groceries, farmers markets, even online shopping. Yet more than 35,000 eligible students aren’t enrolled, leaving nearly $130 million in aid untouched every year. That’s real money that could mean fewer ramen nights and more focus on academics.

Promise is part of a nationwide team of peer navigators through SBNC, a nonprofit tackling food, housing and financial insecurity head-on. Their vision is to empower students like her to spread the word and guide peers to help, while pushing for bigger changes so no one has to choose between textbooks and dinner.

She’s in the West Pod, teaming up with fellow navigators across the region through Slack chats and group brainstorms. The gig is flexible and fun: Navigators rack up five outreach points a week with creative ideas from the activity menu.

Promise is already brainstorming ways to make SBNC visible at Mt. Hood. “I want to be that person students feel comfortable reaching out to,” she said. “Outreach isn’t just posting flyers; it’s building real connections.”

As we kick off 2026, Promise and her crew are proof that small actions add up to big change. Are you struggling with basics or stressed about money? Reach out to Promise on campus or visit studentbasicneeds.com. She’s always ready. As she adds, “At Mt. Hood, we’ve got each other’s backs,” and that’s pretty awesome.

“In Oregon alone, thousands of college students qualify for SNAP benefits—think an EBT card loaded with money for groceries, farmers markets, even online shopping. Yet more than 35,000 eligible students aren’t enrolled, leaving nearly $130 million in aid untouched every year.”