We are profoundly grateful for the exceptional community of caring individuals who put our students needs first. Each day, we are thoroughly inspired, and though we’re all experiencing a time of unprecedented uncertainty, the community has come together in solidarity, proving how resilient and committed we are to take care of each other.  Because of the support of our entire community, there is a lot to be hopeful for and we thank you all for being a part of this journey with us.

Here are a few highlights of the great work being accomplished: 

There Aren't Enough Ways to Say Thank You

We're shedding happy tears, sending good vibes, and giving virtual hugs and high-fives to say THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed so far to our emergency fund campaign. To date, we’ve raised nearly $50,000 to help students impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, including an incredibly generous gift from the American Federation of Teachers. We’ve received thousands of requests from students, many of whom relied on the library computers and campus internet to complete their school work, who are now having trouble accessing their classes and completing their work since campus is closed. These funds have already been used to help assist students to get the resources they need to stay in school. There are many more students that still need help, so we are continuing our efforts to raises the needed dollars that will help them succeed in their educational pursuits.

Now Everyone Can Write Off Donations

Intended to encourage charitable giving during the crisis, the CARES Act provides a charitable tax credit for 2020 tax returns. Taxpayers will be able to claim up to $300, or $600 for a couple filing jointly, without having to file an itemized tax return. Others who do itemize will be able to deduct a greater amount. It’s important to note that this currently only applies to the 2020 tax filing year.

A Time of Transition - Faculty Perspective

“This transition has been pretty challenging for most of my students. I spend hours on the phone and online assisting individual students each week, talking them through their assignments and encouraging them to stay in our class so they can move up to English 124 and reach their educational goals. I have a student whose father is really sick with COVID-19, but I spend time talking her through her assignments each week and she is still doing well. I have another student who works with at-risk youth and homeless individuals each week, which is keeping him incredibly busy. He had actually dropped out of school when he was younger and spent some time incarcerated, but I have been helping him online and by phone each week to better understand and complete his assignments. He is also hanging in there and doing well in the class. Our students are absolute troopers, and I admire their courage and grit in the face of all of the difficulties they are facing right now. We will get through this, and we will be stronger because of it.”

-Marvelyn Bucky, Faculty, Cuyamaca College

 “Moving from face-to-face to online teaching has been challenging for students and faculty alike, though we are all fortunate to be continuing to learn during these trying times. While I have taught online for years, none of my current students signed up to learn in a virtual classroom, which requires a different mind- and skillset that typically takes time to develop (and is still not for everyone). Add a global pandemic, and one can only imagine the obstacles our students face. Consequently, I have spent time emailing and calling my students to find out how they are, connecting them to campus and community resources, reminding them to turn in assignments, and cheering them on. I have heard heartbreaking stories from students not having a place of their own to work and having to ration food within their household. Many of my students who used the Tech Mall at Grossmont to do their homework now lack access, or have limited access, to a computer and a dependable Internet connection. In one of my courses, which is primally made up of first-year and first-generation students, I have given them my phone number to supplement their access to technology. As a result, I am getting better at texting, certainly faster. Moreover, many of my students use Google Documents, so I have worked with them on that platform, often on Saturdays and Sundays because it is the best time for them to use the home computer, which they share with other family members. Still, other students are trying to finish the course on their cell phone, which has taught me much about patience and empathy. Two of my students who returned home, one to Mexico and the other to Japan, join us in weekly in Zoom sessions where we always dedicate time to sharing our experiences. While I am not a mental health professional, the students need a place to vent and to feel less alone. Clearly, the mantra that “we are all in this together” is appropriate for what we are all doing at Grossmont College.” 

-Sydney Brown, Faculty, Grossmont

Remarkable Teamwork

In an effort to help students achieve their goals, our amazing Faculty and Student Services at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges have worked tirelessly, in a very condensed time frame, doing the unimaginable by creating virtual campuses and converting their programs, services, and classes in the online space. And on top of it, many of our departments, faculty, and team members have extended their time to our off-campus community. With several examples, here are a few:

To benefit instructors across the state, the California Acceleration Project asked Guillermo Colls, Cuyamaca College ESL Instructor, to present a webinar to almost 400 colleagues around the state on "Tips and Tricks for taking ESL Online." Because of Cuyamaca College's nationally recognized innovations in acceleration, Colls presented with a focus on using the principles of acceleration to guide the transition to online learning.

You may have seen in the news recently that in an incredible show of support for the medical community, the Respiratory Therapy program at Grossmont College has coordinated a loan of 18 ventilators to local hospitals. 

From scrap fabric at home to boxes full of outdated uniforms, employees from various departments have volunteered their time to make hundreds of face masks for that will be distributed to local services and individuals in need. 

For the full stories and more, click here: https://www.gcccd.edu/news/2020/04/d7-college-district-aids-community.html

Some Positive News

FGCC is overwhelmed by the incredible collective effort at our colleges, in our community, at the state level, and nationally to help our students meet their educational goals. 

CARES Act 
With the Grossmont-Cuyamaca District receiving federal stimulus money through the CARES Act(Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act), we’ll be able to help many of our students by distributing money directly to those who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. While the goal will be to support as many students as possible, the top priority for the funds is for students with the greatest financial need.

Both colleges have waiting lists with thousands of students who applied for the emergency grants that were recently offered, so the funding is a small bit of relief for students with additional financial stress during the crisis.

San Diego Foundation
In a collaboration between community colleges throughout San Diego County, the San Diego Foundation granted $500,000 to the colleges, with a total of $90,000 allocated to Grossmont and Cuyamaca College. The grant will be used to purchase laptops and internet services for students in need.

Foundation for California Community Colleges
We just applied for the first funding made available through the Foundation for California Community Colleges targeted for emergency assistance to students. The first round of funding is targeted for nursing students. We are hopeful this grant will be funded.