COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund Enables Students to Continue Their Education

The COVID-19 global public health crisis has disrupted the lives of millions of New Yorkers, including students of the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY), most of whom are first in their families to attend college and more than half from families with annual incomes of $20,000 or less.

In response to this crisis, the COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund at BMCC supports students now facing financial struggles that were unforeseen as little as two weeks ago.

Their city is the epicenter of the corona crisis and their neighborhoods have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In fact, three New York City boroughs; Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx — where most BMCC students live — have each had more deaths than any other county, nationwide.

Even so, our students’ goals remain strong: to gain an education and enter family-sustaining careers. They maintain those goals even as they are losing their part-time jobs and child-care options; even as they face housing and food insecurity.

The COVID-19 Emergency Fund at BMCC can help a student overcome hardship in this difficult time. It can help them avoid choosing between their education and consolidating resources to compensate for family members who have lost their income or even their lives to the pandemic.

The goal of the fund is to raise $750,000, providing at least 1,500 grants to students who are facing unexpected financial burdens.

Making a contribution to the BMCC COVID19 Student Emergency Fund provides emergency funding for housing, food and technology to students who are unable to meet the unexpected financial burdens resulting from the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic.

“Maintaining our culture of care is now more essential than ever,” Karrin E. Wilks, BMCC’s Interim President. “We are committed to helping our students cope with the many hardships they face in these challenging times. Your contribution to the BMCC COVID 19 Emergency Fund will provide needed relief to address the immediate and future needs of our students.”

To make a donation, please click here.

For corporate donations and matching gifts, please contact Ana Fernandez at AFernandez@bmcc.cuny.edu.