This is the time of year when the commitment to community shown by our faculty, staff, and students truly shines brightly. It seems every office and student organization is collecting canned goods, books, toys, gift cards, and winter clothing to help those in need. You do this without fanfare--or prompting--and seek no recognition beyond the knowledge that you are making the holidays better for others. The College's cross-office and division participation in the Toys for Tots campaign is illustrative of MCC coming together to address a community need. With the closure of the local Army Reserve, Toys for Tots was without a home, and thanks to the leadership of our Student Veterans Club and many of you, MCC joined the list of organizations stepping up to close this gap.
Yesterday was “Giving Tuesday”—a national day dedicated to the support of worthy organizations that serve 365 days a year; locally, it was “ROC the Day,” Rochester’s own day of giving dedicated to the support of regional nonprofits and community-based organizations. Almost 450 agencies, including the MCC Foundation, benefited from the generosity that is the hallmark of our community and this season. It says much about our College—and your work—that some of our most impactful nonprofits are led by MCC alumni. The Volunteers of America, Conkey Cruisers, Veterans Outreach Center, and Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester are among the outstanding and inspiring organizations that rely on MCC graduates for leadership.
At the annual MCC Holiday Reception, you will have the opportunity to support current students on their path to graduation. We are asking that all attendees consider donating $1 to the MCC Dreamkeepers Program, and as we do each year, my family will match each $1 donated to Dreamkeepers, up to $1,500, with a contribution to the Snowflake Scholarship.
Dreamkeepers provides emergency financial assistance grants of less than $500 to students in need. It is designed to address the short-term financial challenges that can knock our students off the path to graduation. Aid comes in the form of gift cards and vouchers (e.g., for gas, food, books) or in direct payment to vendors (e.g., for utilities, auto repairs, medical bills). This assures the funding goes to the immediate need, and all requests are screened by MCC staff to assure that they represent true emergencies. While the program is new to MCC, it has been in place at other community colleges for years, and on average across these colleges, 95% of students receiving Dreamkeepers grants complete their academic semester.
The need for this program at MCC is real and compelling. In its first few weeks of operation, our Dreamkeepers has awarded over $5,000 to our students. Most grants have been for less than $300: a worthwhile investment in dedicated students striving to improve their futures—and ours.
So, as you join your colleagues and friends on December 15 (3:30-5:30pm) at the annual MCC Holiday Reception to celebrate the spirit of the season, please consider giving a small gift that will support our students in all seasons, in ways beyond measure.
Share your thoughts on how MCC, and our students, give back to our community on the blog.
Anne M. Kress
Office of the President
12/02/2015 |