QCC’s GivingTuesday Campaign Launches Early Due to Increased Student Need

WORCESTER, MA—November 17, 2020 — Quinsigamond Community College is asking for the support of the community in helping its students during a time when their need is greater than ever before. The College has rolled out an aggressive fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $30,000 in honor of its alumni, in conjunction with the national campaign GivingTuesday. QCC is an integral part of the City of Worcester and has well over 30,000 alumni, with close to 7,000 who live in Worcester.

“By donating to QCC’s GivingTuesday campaign, you are helping a friend or a neighbor who may be one of the many front-line workers helping to keep us safe and our essential businesses operating,” said Associate Vice President for External Affairs, Dr. Viviana M. Abreu-Hernandez.

Donors can specify where they want their donations to go to such as the QCC Foundation’s Student Emergency Fund, the QCC Food Pantry and Resource Center or student scholarships.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, student need at QCC has greatly increased as jobs have been lost or severely cut and students have been struggling to make ends meet.  While the college received CARES Act funding like most in the country, the stipulations for students to receive aid precluded many, due to their part-time status or other disqualifiers.

“Many of our students were unable to access the CARES Act aid; thankfully the QCC Foundation began a Student Emergency Fund before the CARES Act was even being considered in Congress. This has already helped well over 500 students,” said President Dr. Luis Pedraja. “As the pandemic deepens and we enter the colder months the need continues to grow.”

A survey of those who received Student Emergency Fund aid noted that 47% of working students lost their jobs, 72% of working students had a reduction in their working hours, and 33% had out of pocket medical expenses related to COVID-19.

“If all of our alumni and everyone in the community who knows a QCC alumnus were to make a donation, we would more than hit our goal,” Dr. Abreu-Hernandez said, adding, “QCC is not a just college in Worcester, QCC is Worcester’s college and by supporting our students you are supporting the community.”

QCC’s GivingTuesday campaign is running through the month of November and culminates on GivingTuesday, December 1. To be a part of QCC’s GivingTuesday initiative, visit www.QCC.edu/QCCGives.

For more information about QCC, contact Josh Martin, Director of Institutional Communications at 508.854.7513 or jmartin [at] qcc.mass.edu

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