Single Stop USA saw the need, especially in community colleges who have open access and tuition rates much lower than four-year colleges, to provide services to students who qualify because of their low-income status. A large percentage of community college students are first generation students who come from low-income families. These students often work twenty hours or more per week to support their families while attending college, which can often lead to a higher dropout rate.

Single Stop USA, in partnership with the Cavalier Care Center, allows students to explore support programs that can help reduce barriers to success.

Academic research shows that students who don’t have enough food are more likely to have low grades and poor health. Addressing this critical need helps our students be more successful in the classroom, which leads to better retention and higher graduation rates.

In fall 2018, the BPCC Rotaract Club sought to address food insecurities of students by founding the Emergency Food Pantry. It was the first college-initiated food pantry in Northwest Louisiana, and was established by the collaborative efforts of the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, Rotaract Club of BPCC, and members of the faculty and staff. This became the foundation of The Cavalier Care Center Food Pantry. In the fall of 2020, the Food Pantry moved into the Cavalier Care Center, which allowed for an extensive expansion. The Food Pantry was able to triple in size and become a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved pantry, offering more food options including meats and fresh vegetables, as well as hygiene products.

The Career Closet provides students in need with professional attire to attend job, clinical, or internship interviews. In addition, Student Services and Center staff will teach students interviewing skills and conduct mock interviews to increase students’ opportunities for success.

The Center gratefully accepts donations of gently used business attire clothing for both women and men. Due to space constraints the Center does not accept, shoes, hats or other accessories.

Bossier Parish Community College offers a comprehensive suite of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Student Resources designed to support students beyond the classroom. Through the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program (FITAP), BPCC connects eligible students to short-term resources and long-term goals by providing access to workforce training, career pathways, and wraparound services that build lasting self-sufficiency. These services are part of BPCC's commitment to empowering families in North Louisiana and aligning with the Governor’s “One-Door” initiative to streamline access to education, workforce, and human services for families in need.

BPCC's TANF program is the only one of its kind in Louisiana, aiming to expand access to education and workforce training for families across North Louisiana. The initiative has already shown measurable results, with more than 60 students enrolling in programs leading to workforce certifications, industry-based credentials, or college degrees, each contributing to greater job readiness and employability in the region.

For more information, contact Vaquetta Hudson, TANF Student Success Coordinator, at (318) 678-6206 or vhudson@bpcc.edu.

During the Spring of 2020, in response to the college moving all classes and services online due to the COVID-19 heath crisis, Bossier Parish Community College Chancellor, Dr. Rick Bateman, rose to the challenge and supported the purchase of 150 HP Chromebook Computers to be loaned through the Cavalier Care Center to students who needed them to access classes and campus services. Through the Laptop Loan Program, the Cavalier Care Center provides HP Chromebook computers free of charge to eligible students.