The Mohawk Valley Community College Foundation raised $26,525 from 233 donors during its Week of Giving in support of the College-Community-Connection (C3) program, which helps MVCC fulfill its mission of providing an accessible college education by addressing barriers that keep students from achieving academic goals through a variety of resources, including an on-campus food pantry and referrals to community services.

While the program is partially funded through The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, the College is moving toward self-sufficiency within three years, and the donations raised will help go toward the goal of continuing the program’s positive impact. 

The C3 program was developed in 2016, with a goal to provide these students with an on-campus support center that would offer them timely, effective solutions to non-academic issues that could prevent them from completing their degree. Services have included support with food insecurity, housing, and other basic needs; child and elder care; transportation and bus passes; counseling and legal services; school supplies; and healthcare.

In the program’s first three years, 30% more students used these services than projected, and so far it has served more than 800 students. The four most-used services include the food pantry, bus passes, food vouchers, and child care assistance. Retention rates increased 10% from Fall 2016, when the program was first implemented, to Spring 2018.