Northern Virginia Community College launches COVID-19 emergency fund for students

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Educational Foundation on Monday launched an emergency student aid fund to help students struggling with economic fallout from COVID-19, with a goal  to issue $500 grants to at least 1,500 students.

More than half of NOVA’s 85,000 students work full- or part-time jobs, according to the community college, and the grant is intended to aid students in meeting their basic needs to complete the school semester.

“Financially vulnerable students face furloughs and layoffs as a result of the pandemic, and as child-care options and schools close, student-parents are facing extreme challenges in keeping any employment,” says a statement from the college.

More than a third of NOVA students have experienced food insecurity in the past month or housing insecurity in the past year, according to a NOVA survey, and 15% of respondents have experienced homelessness in the past year.

NOVA’s educational foundation has put $250,000 toward the emergency fund and hopes to raise $750,000 more.

“Ensuring every NOVA student succeeds is our highest priority always,” NOVA President Anne Kress said in a statement.  “But especially now, as our students face unprecedented challenges, we have an obligation to ensure they have our support.