Press release from College of the Redwoods:

The Humboldt Area Foundation’s COVID-19 response committee has granted $20,000 to the College of the Redwoods Foundation to support CR’s DACA students, or “Dreamers”, who are living in the United States under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The grant will provide $325 in direct payment stipends to each of CR’s DACA students, who were excluded from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.

“I truly believe that education leads to more opportunities in life,” says CR President Dr. Keith Flamer. “Whether it is for professional growth or personal enrichment, education helps us thrive. I am extremely thankful that the Humboldt Area Foundation is helping us provide funds for over 50 amazing DREAMers.”

As part of the recent stimulus package, the CARES Act allocated $12.6 billion in federal relief funding to colleges and universities, of which $6 billion was to go directly to students who were effected by campus closures as a result of COVID-19. However, although the Dreamers are federally protected under the DACA act, they are not eligible for CARES Act funds.

“This gap in the CARES Act funding meant that some of the students most impacted by COVID were not provided support. We greatly appreciate the Humboldt Area Foundation for providing this invaluable assistance to our students,” said Marty Coelho, Executive Director of College Advancement and the CR Foundation.

In the grant package, Craig Woods of the Humboldt Area Foundation writes, “we recognize the immense impacts this pandemic has had on the most vulnerable people in our communities and the organizations that serve them. We thank you for the work you are doing to address these new and developing needs.”

The funds will be automatically distributed to qualifying students and students do not need to do anything to receive these funds. However, if you have questions, you can contact Sheila Hall at sheila-hall@redwoods.edu.