Emergency Fund Helps Students Stay in School

Mayra Magana came to Contra Costa College to take English as a Second Language courses and pursue higher education.

But she hasn’t had consistent access to a computer, which made doing coursework difficult. “I cannot stay here [on campus] to use these computers,” she explains, “because I need to get to work each day, too.”

Her brother had a mini-computer on loan from his high school. “So, I did my homework [on it],” she explains, “and I came to print it in the library.”

This meant she had to work around her brother’s schedule. Sometimes, she wasn’t getting her work done.

“That’s why I got the help of the Wrap-Around.”

The Wrap-Around Fund is financed by the Contra Costa College Foundation. It was created to prevent students from dropping out of school due to a sudden financial crisis. Since access to her own computer was essential to her success, the fund was able to help her get one.

She is now a full-time student.

“It’s very helpful,” Mayra says about the CCC Foundation. “Thank you for the Wrap-Around grant!”