As of June 22, 2020, over $100,000 has been raised for the new SUNY Broome Student Emergency Fund. The fund was created earlier this year to assist SUNY Broome students who are facing emergency financial challenges. The Broome Community College Foundation created the fund in hopes to become a lifeline for students and to help with essential non-tuition-related expenses.
Community college students are often vulnerable to poverty, food and housing insecurity, and even homelessness. Some students do not have the technology needed for distance learning, and some are struggling with pandemic-related unemployment. 87% of SUNY Broome students in particular have documented financial need.
“Too often, students are forced to leave community colleges and abandon their dreams of getting an education because they face unplanned emergency expenses, oftentimes totaling less than $500. This fund will provide a one-time grant of up to $500 that will help students meet emergency needs (food, utilities, transportation, medicine, child care, etc.) and stay in school, graduate and obtain employment.” said Broome Community College Foundation Executive Director Cathy Williams.
With help of alumni, faculty, staff, students, foundations and community friends, the Foundation exceeded their goal and raised over $50,000 for the fund. An anonymous donor made a gift to the SUNY Impact Foundation to match the funds raised, dollar for dollar.
“We are so fortunate that the SUNY Impact Foundation is matching the $50,000 that we raised in the past 8 weeks to support this investment in SUNY Broome students. This $100,000 fund will no doubt have a significant impact on student success” said Williams.
SUNY Broome President, Dr. Kevin Drumm stated, “We are thrilled to have an extra $100,000 to help students who may have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. We can’t thank our donors enough for their generosity and also SUNY Impact Foundation for the matching funds.”
To learn more about the Fund, please visit the Student Emergency Fund Website.
About The Broome Community College Foundation
The Foundation was established in 1965 to assist students with their education and to help maintain and establish opportunities for the current and future students of SUNY Broome. The Foundation strives to assist students in need, recognize and honor high-achieving students, help faculty and staff provide the best instructional environment possible, and to encourage innovation and achievement on campus, especially where government funds are either unavailable or insufficient. To learn more about The Broome Community College Foundation, please visit: www.sunybrome.edu/foundation
About SUNY Broome
A dynamic presence in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, SUNY Broome’s history, degree opportunities, exceptional faculty and staff, rich campus life and dedication to learning, excellence, equity, diversity, and innovation, have established the College as a preeminent school recognized both nationally and globally.
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