May 5, 2020 - The Panola College Foundation announced a second round of direct funding opportunities to students affected by COVID-19. Applications are open now and will remain open until funding runs out.
“The Foundation has disbursed almost $20,000 in aid to over 70 students so far,” said Jessica Pace, Director of Institutional Development. “When the relief applications first opened we started seeing a significant need for students to have summer scholarships. They may have been laid off, they no longer have work hours, and many are working in vital health care fields. Some health care programs don’t allow students to skip a semester and require clinicals and other summer classes that are crucial to course completion.”
Originally the Foundation allocated $20,000 to help with student relief and now the Foundation has added an additional $10,000 to assist with summer scholarships. “We can only award funds that we have, and we are inviting the community to help by making tax-deductible donations to the Foundation Student Relief Fund,” she said.
One student expressed her appreciation for the grant, saying, “I just want to say a big thank you. My family is very grateful. I appreciate your urgent response to my appeal. May God bless you and the Foundation. I feel very supported and I’m very touched and thankful that Panola College cares about the welfare of her students beyond academics. I am extremely grateful. Thanks again. This means a lot. It will go a very long way.”
A community member who donated to the fund said, “My daughter will complete her first year at Panola in May 2020. Thank you for looking after her and helping her this year. May the Lord keep us all in His hand.”
To apply for these grants, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available online. For detailed information and a link to the application form, visit https://www.panola.edu/public-relations/covid19studentrelief.html.
To make a tax-deductible donation to the Panola College Foundation to assist in this effort, log in to Foundation@panola.edu and complete the form. Donations may be made through PayPal, check or money order. Receipts are automatically generated to donors for their tax records. In addition, all donations to the Panola College Foundation qualify for matching grants from employers.
The CARES Act includes a line item allowing people making a cash donation of up to $300 to claim a tax deduction on their 2020 taxes, even if they do not itemize their taxes. “This above-the-line deduction applies to any donations made to tax deductible donations,” Pace explained.
“The Foundation’s Student Relief Fund goes above and beyond what the CARES Act provides. We recognize that the CARES Act won’t alleviate all obstacles our students are facing as they work to complete their education. The Foundation is able to help because of the support from the Designer Purse Bingo fundraiser, and the generous donations from the Sustainers Group, memorial donations and other general donations,” Pace said.
