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Covid-19 Emergency Fund: thank you from our students
On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf issued an unprecedented Executive Order requiring all “non-life sustaining businesses” in Pennsylvania to close in response to the growing number of COVID-19 cases.
In compliance with the Governor’s order, Saint Francis University was forced to close its physical campus and rapidly shift all University operations to the digital realm. For the remainder of the spring semester, the University community remotely conducted classes and adjusted to its new norm. While technology kept the semester intact, the disruption resulted in many unanticipated challenges. Many students and their families suddenly found themselves suffering severe financial burdens from the pandemic’s economic fallout. Area residents served by the Dorothy Day Outreach Center, another key SFU constituency, endured similar circumstances.
Together
We Gave
A Generous Spirit
As the stories of those in need arose, members of the University swiftly began a fundraising effort to help fill financial gaps and established an emergency support fund. As a call for help was issued, the Saint Francis University Alumni Association seeded the effort by committing $5,000 in matching funds while the University leveraged its Global Giving Tuesday campaign, which was designated as a day of global action in response to the global pandemic, to bring in donations for the fund. On Global Giving Tuesday alone (May 5, 2020), 208 alumni, parents, and friends contributed $49,555 to the ongoing Emergency Support Fund campaign’s total. To date the generous response from the SFU community has exceeded $65,000.
The Emergency Support Fund of 2020
Total Raised: (through Dec. 4, 2020) $65,381 Total Donors: 340
HOW THE FUND HELPS: • Covered technology costs to transition to online learning from home: monthly internet fees, and materials such as paper and ink. • Provided funds for grocery needs for students who experience food insecurity at home. • Covered transportation costs for last-minute departures from campus. • Kept the Dorothy Day Outreach Center pantry stocked.
Grateful Students
Many shared their notes of gratitude and below are a few highlights.
“This obviously isn’t how the Class of 2020 expected to end our final semester at SFU. Something that has helped us through it is the support of the SFU community including the Alumni Association. … You’ve given us a great example of what it means to be part of the SFU Alumni family and I’m excited to join!
— Emily Graziano
“The Student Emergency Fund gave me funding to purchase my textbooks for the next semester after I lost my job due to the virus. Without these funds I would have been put into a position of deciding which textbooks were most important to purchase or having to take out larger loans to purchase textbooks.”
— Patrick McCauley
“Thank you for the support and extra boost due to the COVID 19 disruption in my daily activities and events. For me personally it offered motivation and the fact that I got this email regarding it also makes me feel I am cared for by the University body as a whole and they want me to succeed. I have an extremely challenging separate life from school and any disruption affects my well being and ability to succeed in my education. Anything extra is a huge help with that- from daycare when I worked until I was furloughed and then barely leaving the house to suddenly having everyone home all day causing me to stress about feeding everyone while I’m not working and learning online and helping my kids do this with no privacy and not enough computers.”
— Jodie Garzarelli
“During the times of COVID, I was more than sure that I would need to put my education on hold, especially not having a proper functioning laptop. I currently Emily Graziano, President of the Class of 2020, in her bedroom/ quarantine classroom.
drive 30 minutes each way to a friends house to use her computer, because mine has decided to fully stop working. With that said, for a period of time I did give up, and when San Antonio was hit with tornado warnings this past week, I was unable to complete three assignments, not only do to bad weather, but no laptop to use at the time to complete my work once the storm cleared. I have never been the one to ask for assistance, as I have always been the one giving, but this Student Emergency Fund will not only help me through COVID but follow through with my Masters Degree.”
— Tenisha De Massis
“I wanted to say thank you for being generous enough to help me out during these unprecedented times. To the alumni, facility, Administration and whoever else made this possible, I cannot say thank you enough. This act of kindness has helped me more than you could imagine! This money has helped me during this time by helping me buy the groceries I needed.”
— Nick Rinella
“I want to give a HUGE thank you to the Alumni, Staff, Faculty, and Administrations at St. Francis University for contributing to the emergency fund that I received. Since the quarantine, it has been difficult for my family and me financially. This emergency fund helped us pay our FPL (FL power & Lights) bill. My family and I are incredibly grateful for this help. Thank you, Saint Francis University. God bless you all!!”
