UPPER CUMBERLAND – It’s a nationwide emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. Normally held in late November, #GivingTuesdayNow is being conducted Tuesday, May 5, and local organizations can benefit from the donations made to them then.
Officials with the Roane State Foundation, the 501(c)(3) corporation that provides financial support for Roane State students, reminds residents that the coronavirus pandemic has had profound effects on many attending the community college.
Half of Roane State students were employed before the crisis closed businesses, factories and restaurants, and many of them have now been either laid off or furloughed.
“Those who have supported us in the past, we ask that they please consider supporting Roane State students in need,” said Scott Niermann, the foundation’s executive director. He said the college is participating in the #GivingTuesdayNow initiative.
Among resources to help students in need are the Foundation’s Pay-It-Forward Emergency Aid Program available to those who have “unforeseen financial stresses,” Niermann said. Through the program, a student can receive up to $500 to offset unexpected expenses.
Roane State has pantries to address food insecurity issues at its Roane County, Oak Ridge and Cumberland County campuses, and donations to the Foundation can also be earmarked to help restock those supplies.
“Now, more than ever, financial aid is crucial to student access and success,” Niermann said. ”Roane State continues to change lives through these emergency support initiatives.”
To contribute to the Foundation’s efforts to help students, visit roanestate.edu/donate.
