For Immediate Release
Contact: Kim Schmelz, Foundation Director
Phone: 608.822.2379
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: July 19, 2021
Lancaster Community Fund supports COVID related emergencies for Southwest Tech students
Fennimore -The Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Community Fund of Southern Wisconsin, made possible by the Charles “Sonny” Tiedemann Charitable Fund of the Lancaster Community Fund. The award of $1,000 was directed towards the Support Our Students (S.O.S.) Fund, to assist students who have faced an unexpected financial emergency due to COVID-19.
The S.O.S. fund was established in April 2020 to support current students in the most impactful way possible throughout the crisis. Uses of the fund include emergency grants similar to the Charger Dream grants, awarded to students facing a financial emergency due to a COVID-19 crisis, such as unplanned purchase of technology or increased data needs for connectivity for online and alternative learning; assistance with rent, utilities or cell phone bills due to job losses or a reduction in family income due to COVID-19.
To date, the S.O.S. fund has awarded more than $13,000 in grants to students for COVID related emergencies.
The Southwest Tech Foundation is appreciative of the gift from the Lancaster Community Fund. “We are proud to be a part of the more than $160,000 that the Lancaster Community Fund awarded in grants to improve and enhance the community,” said Kim Schmelz, foundation director for the Southwest Tech Foundation. This grant was very impactful for our students, especially during this difficult time.”
The Lancaster Community Fund is a component of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, a resource for area nonprofit organizations whose programs and services are working for the betterment of our communities.
For more information about the S.O.S Fund or other funding opportunities with Southwest Tech please contact the Southwest Tech Foundation office at 608.822.2379.
For more information on how to support the community through the Community Foundation, contact Dave Murphy at dave@cfsw.org or by phone (608) 758-0883 ext. 7010 or visit www.cfsw.org.