MARTINSVILLE, VA – The Patrick & Henry Community College Foundation has received two new financial awards that aim to help students be more successful in their educational pursuits.
The first comes from the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) in the amount of $5,100 to provide emergency assistance grants so students can overcome financial hardships and excel in college. Funds may support any cost-of-attendance expenses, including transportation, childcare, technology, and basic needs in addition to tuition, fees, books, and required materials/supplies.
The Patrick & Henry Community College Foundation will administer these grants and students in need of assistance should visit the Foundation office in Frith Hall for more information and to apply.
These funds must be expended by December 31, 2022.
P&HCC’s second award comes in the form of the Gerald Baliles Annual Award for the Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative (RVHI) from the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) in the amount of $75,000.
The funds awarded under this agreement will be used to support the RVHI which seeks to close the educational attainment gap between the Rural Horseshoe region and the rest of Virginia by increasing secondary school completion rates, increasing postsecondary enrollment rates, and increasing postsecondary credential/degree attainment rates. The RVHI is committed to serving underrepresented populations, including first generation college students, low skill and low wage populations, minorities, and ALICE® households.
(ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics of housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology. These workers often struggle to keep their own households from financial ruin, while keeping our local communities running.)
The RVHI funds must be expended by June 30, 2023.
“Both of these funding sources will provide our students and our community with a greater college experience and higher level of service,” said Tiffani Underwood, Director of Development / Executive Director of the Patrick & Henry Community College Foundation. “It’s difficult to do well in the classroom when outside factors are causing you stress. These funds will help eliminate that for a lot of our students as well as help us make college accessible to a broader population.”
The P&HCC Foundation will fund at least 50% of the RVHI program costs under the award agreement.
