Edmonds College awarded more than $800K in grants to address student homelessness, emergency needs

Edmonds College was recently awarded two grants totaling more than $800,000 by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to support students experiencing homelessness and those in need of emergency assistance.

“We are very thankful to our state for this much needed support and extremely committed to provide wraparound services and resources to our students for their success,” said EC President Dr. Amit B. Singh.

SBCTC nearly tripled its previous funding, awarding EC $601,300 for the 2021-23 Student Emergency Assistance Grant (SEAG) and $204,000 for the 2021-23 Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (SSEH) Grant. SEAG is open to students who have experienced a sudden, urgent, or unexpected financial difficulty that impacts their ability to complete the quarter. The grant can help with housing, utilities, food, transportation, health care, and childcare. SSEH is available to students who are currently homeless and those who have aged out of the foster care system. Funding can be used for housing, laundry vouchers, transportation, and other needs.

In addition to allowing EC to serve more students, the increased funding will allow the college to hire a new case manager that connects students to campus and community resources. EC plans to make a hiring decision by mid-September.

Other efforts to address students’ basic needs include the campus food pantry, emergency funding provided through the EC Foundation, and housing assistance through Project Home.

“There is quite a growing national appreciation for providing additional support for student basic needs,” said Charlie Thompson, EC associate dean for workforce funding programs. “Who can study well when your kids are hungry or your car just broke down?”

To learn more about student support services, contact Thompson at charles.thompson@edmonds.edu.