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This campaign is to raise funds for high need students at Bennington College with a focus on seniors that will be homeless in the face of the COVID 19 Pandemic.
"The power of community is immeasurable and transcendent!!!"
UPDATE 5/27/2020: As we are almost at our goal, we would like to thank everyone for donating! We would like to say that we were able to support 17 students with this money as we asked each student to reflect on their need and let us know. Everyone was so conscientious about their ask that we were able to increase the amount of students we could support. We are so thankful to everyone and please reach out if you have any questions!
UPDATE 5/23/20: Bennington College International Seniors who have applied for OPT (work authorization) received an email on May 13 from the College notifying them that they are eligible to apply for grants up to $500.
The community at Bennington College is truly special, the care, support, and love that is created in one's time here is one of a kind. We are appealing with that same sense and desire of community for support during this unimaginably difficult time for some of our peers:
There are about 15 members of our community at Bennington College (most of us are international, and some domestic seniors who are graduating in May, while there are also one or two returning students) in Vermont who cannot go home due to the COVID-19 crisis. Going home is simply not an option for us due to either our countries closing borders, waiting for OPT (work authorization), or not having a home to go back to at all. On the 31st of May, we will not have anywhere to go as the accommodation provided by the College terminates.
For most of us–as F1 Visa holders–we are not allowed to work off-campus and can’t work until we receive special working permission called OPT. International seniors are currently waiting for their OPT–in order to apply for this permit, we have to do it from the US and cannot leave the country– which under normal circumstances comes in August, and now, perhaps even later because of COVID-19.
We are from Greece, France, Russia, Iran, Mexico, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Norway, Myanmar, Syria, El Salvador, and the US. Graduation was a moment to celebrate our achievements with friends and family and a wonderful transformational moment in our lives, but now it has become a day we are dreading.
Context:
Bennington College has provided students with grants up to $200 through the COVID Relief Fund, which has been fully used. As of May 13th, Bennington is providing students who have applied for OPT up to $500.
Most of us are high need students but did not qualify for the COVID Relief fund as we did not match the criteria. Along with this effort, we are communicating with the Bennington College administration and asking for the fund to be increased so that it addresses the full needs of these students. In the true Bennington spirit, we are working to create a collaborative environment of mutual support and find solutions that will benefit recent graduates, current, and future students. Whilst these initiatives are underway, however, we also recognize the need to join together now and collaboratively raise money, as we do not want to be in a situation where we have nowhere to go after May.
Additionally, the current crisis cut down on-campus employment from a maximum of 20 hours a week to 7 hours a week, which greatly adds to the already challenging financial situations that we are navigating. We will need to vacate the college campus and as very high need international students, we have no support in the US. As international students, we have also been excluded from receiving any funds provided to colleges and universities by Congress for student aid relief. These students can only afford to attend Bennington College through support from large scholarships. Thus, we cannot afford rent, so as soon as we graduate, we will simply be homeless, or surviving on close to nothing.
We are asking for support during these extremely hard times. We are all navigating systems that in normal situations are challenging, but in the current time, we request any and all support that we can get. We have come together as a community to collectively take care of each other, raise money to sustain life as we wait for this time to pass, and slowly work toward our dreams as newly graduating students in our world.
Break down of costs:
INITIAL FUNDING GOAL $45,000
PRIORITY 1: Graduating seniors
Per Month Summary for 15 students
$750 rent, $250 food= $1000
Students will need to be supported till August and that will amount to $3000
PRIORITY 2 : Returning students that do not have a place to go in the summer.
$750 rent, $250 food= $1000
Students will be needed to be supported till August and that will amount to $3000
PRIORITY 3: Funds to the sustainability in equity at Bennington College.
NOTE: It is important for us to collectively redistribute these funds equitably. In the event that we raise more than our goal of $45,000, it is our commitment that we provide funds that take into account personal needs, equity, and support in the most honest sense. The remaining money will be put into the sustainability of equity initiatives and transparent student support.
At the moment we are trying to raise enough money for three months of costs for immediate relief aid.
Absolutely any support is appreciated. Thank You!
This fund is creating in collaboration between Resource Generation (RG) and the International Student Task Force (ISTF) at Bennington College
If you require any further information or clarification please reach out to:
Audrey King (RG): [email redacted]
Ara Aman (ISTF): [email redacted]
Valentine Voisin: [email redacted]
"The power of community is immeasurable and transcendent!!!"
UPDATE 5/27/2020: As we are almost at our goal, we would like to thank everyone for donating! We would like to say that we were able to support 17 students with this money as we asked each student to reflect on their need and let us know. Everyone was so conscientious about their ask that we were able to increase the amount of students we could support. We are so thankful to everyone and please reach out if you have any questions!
UPDATE 5/23/20: Bennington College International Seniors who have applied for OPT (work authorization) received an email on May 13 from the College notifying them that they are eligible to apply for grants up to $500.
The community at Bennington College is truly special, the care, support, and love that is created in one's time here is one of a kind. We are appealing with that same sense and desire of community for support during this unimaginably difficult time for some of our peers:
There are about 15 members of our community at Bennington College (most of us are international, and some domestic seniors who are graduating in May, while there are also one or two returning students) in Vermont who cannot go home due to the COVID-19 crisis. Going home is simply not an option for us due to either our countries closing borders, waiting for OPT (work authorization), or not having a home to go back to at all. On the 31st of May, we will not have anywhere to go as the accommodation provided by the College terminates.
For most of us–as F1 Visa holders–we are not allowed to work off-campus and can’t work until we receive special working permission called OPT. International seniors are currently waiting for their OPT–in order to apply for this permit, we have to do it from the US and cannot leave the country– which under normal circumstances comes in August, and now, perhaps even later because of COVID-19.
We are from Greece, France, Russia, Iran, Mexico, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Norway, Myanmar, Syria, El Salvador, and the US. Graduation was a moment to celebrate our achievements with friends and family and a wonderful transformational moment in our lives, but now it has become a day we are dreading.
Context:
Bennington College has provided students with grants up to $200 through the COVID Relief Fund, which has been fully used. As of May 13th, Bennington is providing students who have applied for OPT up to $500.
Most of us are high need students but did not qualify for the COVID Relief fund as we did not match the criteria. Along with this effort, we are communicating with the Bennington College administration and asking for the fund to be increased so that it addresses the full needs of these students. In the true Bennington spirit, we are working to create a collaborative environment of mutual support and find solutions that will benefit recent graduates, current, and future students. Whilst these initiatives are underway, however, we also recognize the need to join together now and collaboratively raise money, as we do not want to be in a situation where we have nowhere to go after May.
Additionally, the current crisis cut down on-campus employment from a maximum of 20 hours a week to 7 hours a week, which greatly adds to the already challenging financial situations that we are navigating. We will need to vacate the college campus and as very high need international students, we have no support in the US. As international students, we have also been excluded from receiving any funds provided to colleges and universities by Congress for student aid relief. These students can only afford to attend Bennington College through support from large scholarships. Thus, we cannot afford rent, so as soon as we graduate, we will simply be homeless, or surviving on close to nothing.
We are asking for support during these extremely hard times. We are all navigating systems that in normal situations are challenging, but in the current time, we request any and all support that we can get. We have come together as a community to collectively take care of each other, raise money to sustain life as we wait for this time to pass, and slowly work toward our dreams as newly graduating students in our world.
Break down of costs:
INITIAL FUNDING GOAL $45,000
PRIORITY 1: Graduating seniors
Per Month Summary for 15 students
$750 rent, $250 food= $1000
Students will need to be supported till August and that will amount to $3000
PRIORITY 2 : Returning students that do not have a place to go in the summer.
$750 rent, $250 food= $1000
Students will be needed to be supported till August and that will amount to $3000
PRIORITY 3: Funds to the sustainability in equity at Bennington College.
NOTE: It is important for us to collectively redistribute these funds equitably. In the event that we raise more than our goal of $45,000, it is our commitment that we provide funds that take into account personal needs, equity, and support in the most honest sense. The remaining money will be put into the sustainability of equity initiatives and transparent student support.
At the moment we are trying to raise enough money for three months of costs for immediate relief aid.
Absolutely any support is appreciated. Thank You!
This fund is creating in collaboration between Resource Generation (RG) and the International Student Task Force (ISTF) at Bennington College
If you require any further information or clarification please reach out to:
Audrey King (RG): [email redacted]
Ara Aman (ISTF): [email redacted]
Valentine Voisin: [email redacted]