May 11, 2020—Alumni and other supporters have been giving generously to support students at Humboldt State University.

Hundreds of donors have given to provide immediate assistance to students dealing with the challenges of the pandemic. And they have responded strongly to the need for scholarships, with giving to those funds on a record-setting pace through April.

Appeals for charitable support during the pandemic began in late March. The Student Adversity Fund and other donor funds had proven important in serving students during the transition to virtual instruction, and it was clear that more help would be needed.

Alumni and other supporters responded. Over the last month, more than 300 donors have given over $50,000 in support to pandemic-related efforts. They have given to the Student Adversity Fund, which provides small grants to help students with unexpected costs, the Oh SNAP! food program, a fund for unexpected medical costs called Overcoming Barriers to Health, and funds that support undocumented students.

Many other previous donors have shared that they remain committed to HSU and plan to help when they are able.

Donors have also stepped up support for scholarships this year, starting before the pandemic crisis and continuing through it.

From last July through this April, well over $1 million has been given for student scholarships. Gifts have been for new endowed scholarships, commitments to local students, additions to existing endowed and non-endowed scholarships, and more. The fundraising dinner that capped off the day of Investiture activities was a highlight, with more than $160,000 for scholarships raised.

The total giving for scholarships is more than each of the last five years, and likely to be a record for scholarship support at Humboldt State.

To find out more about how you can make an impact during this time, please check out the Humboldt Connected giving site for specific funds related to supporting students during the pandemic.