MaryAnne Young, executive director and CEO of New College Foundation, announced that New College of Florida has received a $28,000 grant from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation for emergency and critical needs relief for students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The two foundations have awarded 25 grants totaling nearly $600,000 to relieve strain on key nonprofit partners that are aiding residents hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. "New College is deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of the Barancik Foundation and Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s COVID 19 Response grant partnership,” said Young. “These funds will make an enormous difference in the lives of our neediest students when they are most vulnerable.” Young explained that New College was scheduled to recess for Spring Break beginning March 13, 2020. Traditionally, Spring Break is a week when most of New College’s students leave their on-campus residences for at least a portion of the week. Days prior to the onset of the break, the decision was made at the Florida State University System level that all state universities were to plan for extended breaks due to the emerging threats posed by COVID-19. Although most residential students were able to return home or stay with relatives, 16 students were unable to leave due to various circumstances. Young notes that these students represent the most economically disadvantaged of all New College’s students. The funds will be used for the needs of both on-campus and offsite students, including for food, medicine, and Wi-Fi access to participate in online classes. “I continue to be in awe of all that the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation and the other foundations make possible for this community. Their philanthropy, especially in unprecedented times like these, brings us together, actively promotes resiliency, and inspires our human spirit,” she said. “These grants—and many more we have in the pipeline—are what I call ‘quick hits,’” said Teri A Hansen, president and CEO of Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. “They give some of our strongest nonprofit partners what they need right now to continue their critical work, even as their own staffs and revenues are affected. We will continue working with them to prepare for the intermediate and long-term challenges yet to come.”

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