July 14, 2022
In December 2021, the Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation of Borough of Manhattan Community College, The City University of New York (BMCC/CUNY) received a $2 million grant from Trinity Church Wall Street to provide housing for homeless students enrolled at the school. The goal is to house 40 students for a three-year period.
Trinity Church Wall Street also just announced it will provide additional support to prepare the dorm for students.
“In addition to their two-million-dollar grant that will allow us to provide year-round dormitory housing for some of our homeless and housing insecure students, Trinity Church Wall Street has generously allocated incremental funds to outfit all of the dorm rooms,” said Julie Appel, director of BMCC’s Project Impact, a program at BMCC that supports students who have been impacted by the justice system. “They will be supplying sheets, blankets and pillows for each student living in the dorms together with towels, desk lamps, toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo and conditioner. As a result of this new support, our students will be able to move into their dorm rooms with the proper supplies to begin their new living experience.”
“Many of our students are housing insecure and live in shelters, couch surf, live in transitional housing or sleep on the subways,” said Karen Wilson-Stevenson, Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement at BMCC. “It is very difficult to concentrate on academics while simultaneously worrying about where you are going to sleep at night.”
The additional support from Trinity Church Wall Street will enable students to focus on their studies. With stable housing, food support through BMCC’s Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC), academic support in the form of free in-person and online tutoring, access to mentoring, cohort programs and more, students are better able to complete their degree requirements in a timely manner and move closer to their ultimate career and life goals.
Housing for students struggling with homelessness supports the BMCC Strategic Plan including Strategic Goal 5: Strengthen our culture of care for students, faculty and staff.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- In December 2021, Trinity Church Wall Street awarded $2 million to the BMCC Foundation to house homeless students in dorm rooms year round
- Trinity Church Wall Street has now allocated funds to outfit those dorm rooms
- With the right supports in place, such as housing, academic and social supports, BMCC students can thrive and graduate
