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Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund

Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund

"We have students living in cars, moving from sofa to sofa, camping in the redwoods behind the College."

 

About the scholarship

The Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund supports CR students who are experiencing homelessness or who are housing insecure.  This scholarship provides semester grants so that these students can live in CR's residence halls and have a meal plan in the cafeteria.  The goal is to ensure these students have the opportunity to focus on their education rather than on their daily survival. 

College of the Redwoods was the first college in the nation to provide on campus housing and meal plans for its students experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness.


housing statistics

Nearly half of all community college students are experiencing overwhelming housing challenges: 35% experience ongoing housing insecurity; 15% are homeless; and 56% of community college students face food insecurity.

Wisconsin HOPE Lab and the Association of Community College Trustees

At College of the Redwoods

CR students self-identify as to experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness.  Our students are living in their cars, moving from sofa to sofa, and have even camped in the redwoods behind the College.  A significant number of our students are not getting enough to eat.  Our Food Pantries help over one hundred students every week.


Donate now

Send to:

Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund
College of the Redwoods Foundation
7351 Tompkins Hill Rd.
Eureka, CA 95501

- OR -


"My father didn’t graduate from high school and used to say ‘don’t be like me’….  And I know if I drop out of school and work full time, I will just keep struggling.  I will never get ahead."

- Martha, College of the Redwoods Student


Martha's Story

Martha is a student at College of the Redwoods. She applied for financial aid, with help from her high school, and received confirmation of her completed application. But when she arrived at CR she found out her application was incomplete and that it could take months to be resolved.

Listen to Martha's Story:

 

Tammy's Story

Listen to Tammy's Story

 


"On the nights that I had to camp near school, I would usually stay in the wooded area behind the dorms and then use the shower facilities in the gym in the mornings."

- Tammy, College of the Redwoods Student


CR is Battling Housing and Food Insecurity

  • A Basic Needs Center was established on the Eureka Main Campus.
  • Food Pantries at the Crescent City and Hoopa campuses are planned for 2019.
  • A Housing Liaison was hired to help our students find housing.
  • Gym showers and washers & dryers were opened to our students facing housing insecurity.
  • We provide health services and emotional / mental health counseling for our students.
  • There are various forms of financial aid to provide free or reduced tuition.
  • Student support services help cover fees, book costs, bus vouchers for transportation, and loaner laptops.
  • And now we have the new Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship Fund.

FoodPantry

snow

"The Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship will change the homelessness narrative in our community and at College of the Redwoods."

- Keith Flamer, President/Superintendent of College of the Redwoods


How the Redwoods Scholarship Works

Criteria for Qualifying

In order to qualify for this scholarship a student must:

  • Be currently enrolled as a CR student.
  • Be comfortable living in the College of the Redwoods Residence Halls.
  • Student must be currently homeless or experiencing ongoing housing insecurity. Preference will be given to College of the Redwoods students who have been verified homeless through CR’s Financial Aid Office.
  • Two ways to apply:
    • Submit the online Redwoods Room & Board application.
    • Submit the online CR scholarship application.

§ Answer “Yes” to the question “Are you homeless or experiencing ongoing housing insecurity?”

  • Answer the additional questions “Please describe your current housing situation” and “What are the circumstances that led to your housing insecurity?”
  • You must also:
    • Have a minimum of 2.0 GPA.
    • Be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units.
    • Have a completed CR Residence Hall Application on file.
    • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
    • Have a comprehensive Student Education Plan (SEP) on file.
    • Award is not transferable to another college.

 

Criteria for Maintaining

  • Maintain a grade point of 2.0 (the residence hall’s requirement for the residents.)
  • Enroll, maintain, and complete a class schedule of 12+ units per spring and fall semester (6 of the units must be academic units) and 6+ units in summer (3 of those units must be academic units).
  • Follow the student conduct policy for both the District and the Residence Halls.
  • Meet with the Residence Hall’s Counselor, Advisor, or Retention Coordinator a minimum of three times a semester to provide feedback on academic and resident hall experience.
  • Secure a job in the community or on campus, serve on the student senate (ASCR), or participate in a CR Athletic Team in season.

Please contact the Scholarship Office for questions. 

Please fill out the above PDF and email it to : scholarships@redwoods.edu

Supporters of the Redwoods Room & Board Scholarship

A special thank you to:
  • St. Joseph Health System – Care for the Poor Grant
  • The Rose Perenin Foundation
  • The McLean Foundation
  • Olsen Family Fund, and the Vera P. Vietor Trust, funds of the Humboldt Area Foundation

Emily Arents, CNM, RN
Wendy Bates
David Bazard and Mary Mallahan
Sally and John Biggin
Vicki and Steve Bradford
Joe and Kerry Chartkoff
Steve Christianson - 2003 CR alumni
Marty & Kim Coelho
Butch Conley
Larry and Ruth Connolly
Dr. Bonnie Deister, Trustee

Michael and Tamara Dennis
Aline Faben
Keith Flamer
Walt and Becky Giacomini
Michelle Haggerty
Marina and Joe Hash
Angelina Hill
Nancy R. Ihara
Indivisible Ferndale
Katie Wendt Manning '77
Carol Mathews, Trustee

Julia Morrison
Colleen Mullery, Trustee
Open Door Community Health Centers
Jennifer Ourique
In memory of John and Rose Petrusha
The Quist Mazzocoo Family
Jesica Rawlings
Aaron and Christine Reiher
Thawatchai Ronne
Dave and Gaby Somerville
Monica Sperling
Barbara and John Vernon
Mike and Beth Woyak

Contact Us


Contact Information

College of the Redwoods Foundation

 Marty Coelho, Executive Director

 Marty-Coelho@redwoods.edu
 707-476-4325
Fax: 707-476-4402

 Student Services/Administration Building, Second Floor

7351 Tompkins Hill Rd
Eureka, CA 95501

  2023 College of the Redwoods