The PNC Foundation has awarded Central Piedmont Community College a $25,000 grant to support the college’s Single Stop program, an initiative that connects students to the support services they need to succeed in college and administers the college’s Emergency Fund.

“Our entire community has been affected by COVID-19, and the pandemic has been particularly difficult for students who have lost employment and income ― and who depend on campus resources for access to learning and technology,” said Weston Andress, PNC regional president for Western Carolinas and a Central Piedmont Foundation board member. “During this challenging time, we want the Central Piedmont student community to know that we understand and are committed to helping address some of the hardships they are facing.”

Since 2016, Central Piedmont’s Single Stop program has served as a free, on-campus resource, removing barriers for students with critical needs by connecting them with resources to help them flourish academically, obtain good jobs and achieve financial stability ― through one-on-one meetings with experts representing the financial, tax and legal fields.

In addition to matching qualifying students with specific tools to help fuel upward mobility in their lives, Single Stop administers monies available through the college’s Emergency Fund, which provides one-time support of up to $500 for students who have emergency needs related to housing, utilities, medical expenses, food, technology and more.

The PNC Foundation’s gift is timely. The college will use the grant to help purchase the following items, which have been identified as students’ most pressing needs during the coronavirus pandemic:

• Grocery/food gift cards. These items will allow students to purchase food, medicine and other essential products.
   
• Technology access (laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots). The college has witnessed a surge in students needing laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots since it moved much of its course instruction online.
   
• Resources for budgeting during a crisis. Single Stop's financial counselors are implementing and delivering online and virtual sessions for individuals and groups who need crisis budgeting assistance. Each emergency grant recipient is contacted by a financial counselor with tips on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic from a financial perspective.
   

“As a result of the pandemic, the college has witnessed an increase in the number of students needing resources to sustain their everyday lives in addition to their studies,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont. “Many agencies in the Charlotte area have had to close temporarily, limiting the resources students can turn to for emergency crisis assistance. The PNC Foundation’s gift will help us streamline the connectivity process, ensuring resources such as nutrition assistance, technology support and financial aid reach the students who need them most in a critical time of need.”

Learn more about Central Piedmont’s Single Stop program. If interested in supporting the college’s Emergency Fund, visit https://secure.cpccfoundation.org/donation/.