Prior to the global pandemic, the newly formed NVC Student Advocacy team was just getting organized by expanding the NVC Food Pantry and bringing on case managers to help students in need.
After COVID-19 hit, they were on over drive. The team, lead by NVC Advocacy Director Lisa Black, quickly pulled from NVC’s Student Life to get more support to help more than 1,000 students with emergency aid. The extra hands were able to help students move from being denied through the appeal process to getting assistance.
According to data the team collected from 254 students from February to August of this year, students most needed help with utilities, housing, employment and then food.
The student emergency grants or the cash assistance provided helps to support student retention during unanticipated or crisis related life events. Supporting rental assistance, car payments or childcare is a critical function of the overall retention strategies of the college.
If you know of any students in need, there is still $798,374 that is available for the fall 2020/spring 2020 semester. To learn more, visit https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/experience-nvc/current-students/student-advocacy/home/
To Date:
- Disbursed $2,668,436 to 4,167 students
- Students can be helped with emergency aid two times per academic year.
- Students can be helped with more than one bill during each disbursement.
- Must be registered for 6 hours and, if it is before census, on a payment plan.
- Depending on the funding source, students may need to meet a 2.0 and good standing status with financial aid.
