Huntington Beach, Calif. — Starting this spring, students at Golden West College (GWC) will have access to grants that will assist them with high-cost basic needs such as rent, childcare, and living expenses.
Students who currently are enrolled in 6 or more units and have completed a FAFSA or California Dream Act application are now able to request two of the three grants per semester to assist them with basic needs, including $1,000 for rent assistance, $1,000 for childcare, and $500 for basic living expenses.
In just the first week of this spring semester, we received close to 100 requests and were able to disburse more than $50,000,” says Vice President of Student Services Claudia Lee. “Clearly there is a growing need for additional financial support for our students and I am so proud of GWC’s Basic Needs and Financial Aid teams for working quickly and collaboratively to implement and disburse these new grants.
GWC’s Basic Needs grants are funded from on-going basic needs grants received by the College from the California State Chancellor’s Office, as well as student equity and lottery funds. California Assembly Bill 2884 recently expanded the acceptable use of California Lottery proceeds to include community college students’ basic needs.
At Golden West College, we understand that not everyone's path to success is straightforward, and we are continuously looking for ways to support our students and their changing needs,” says Lee. “I’m so proud to work with a team that always puts students first.
In addition to efforts to attract and enroll students just out of high school, GWC provides support for adult students planning to change careers. Flexible scheduling, online courses and services, and classes at night are provided along with the Basic Needs grants.
