Pasco-Hernando State College Volume XIV, Issue II Fall 2020 | Page 12

FOUNDATION
NEWS
COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
STUDENTS DURING TROUBLING TIMES
The COVID-19 pandemic presented numerous
challenges for our country. The safety of students,
faculty and staff is always the highest priority for
the College. Through the transition to an online
learning platform, many students experienced
hardships. These varied from stress of health
care workers, income loss, inability to pay bills,
concern for their health and those of their family,
and unease in transitioning to online classes.
been cut back. I am a full time student, so it is
hard for me to help them out right now. With your
help, I am able to get food and supplies. Your help
has brightened my thoughts on everything. Once
again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I
really appreciate helping not just me but everyone.
So many people deserve to be helped. This
donation will affect our lives in a great way.
- Martha M.
To assist the immediate needs of PHSC students,
the PHSC Foundation established the Support
Our Students (SOS) Fund. Contributions directly
benefited students and provided relief for
hardships including:
· Housing and food insecurity
· Technology needs to access virtual learning
· Limited income from jobs or
work-study positions
· Mental and emotional well being
· Other unforeseen financial challenges
The initiative united the PHSC family in extending
support to students experiencing unexpected
needs at this time, while giving them the ability to
overcome obstacles presented by this crisis. We
are proud to be a community where people think
of the greater good in a moment of uncertainty.
Thank you to all who contributed to the
SOS Fund!
Before the pandemic, everything seemed normal. I
had a job with kids and attended Pasco-Hernando
State College. As the news started to worsen, I
was laid off and switched to online classes. With
no source of income, it was hard to keep afloat.
People were catching this virus and it was surreal
when a loved one was affected. The Support
our Students (SOS) Emergency Relief Fund has
influenced my family tremendously by helping put
food on our table. Thank you to this Foundation
and donors for making this possible!
- The Certain Family
I am truly thankful and blessed to be able to
receive the gift card. It has helped me through
these hard and scary times. It is a bit stressful and
overwhelming at times. It is a scary time to leave
the house and be around others. I live with my
parents, their working hours and paychecks have
I cannot thank the Foundation team enough for
this generous gift. With that $200 gift card I was
able to help my parents buy groceries. We are
a family of five, so even before this epidemic
started, we would spend at least two-hundred
dollars a week regardless. I feel so grateful to be
one of the recipients for the gift card because I
was able to help my parents out in this time
of need.
- Alexis
“I am finishing my degree at PHSC this summer
and beginning to financially support myself.
Becoming an independent adult is already
stressful enough, but the financial and mental
hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic have
presented even more of a challenge. I had planned
to continue to work throughout the summer but
operations have been paused. I would like to
reiterate how thankful I am to the generous donors
for assisting through these difficult times. This is
a relief on our wallets but on our mental health
as well.
- Ananda
I am a mother of 5 young children and a full-time
student in the RN generic track program at PHSC.
When everything began shifting because of the
pandemic, our lives turned around. My husband
lost his job, school did not return to normal after
spring break, and I had to find a way to get more
hours at work without putting my family at risk.
This relief has helped us put gas in our vehicles
as we look for solutions for our family and with 2
of my children’s birthdays coming up, I can give
them a couple of presents, even though they
won’t be having parties this year. I have been
able to spend so much time with my loved ones
through this difficult time and a little financial
assistance goes a long way. Thank you.
- Salena
10 PHSC