MHCC Receives $3 Million to Establish a Basic Needs Response Center

We are excited and grateful to announce Mt. Hood Community College will receive $3 million in funding from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This act is supported by Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure community colleges have the resources they need to provide students with a quality learning environment during this difficult time.

With the help of these funds, MHCC will establish a Basic Needs Response Center that will include services from online-learning support to housing and food securities. This support will be especially helpful for our low income, first generation and BIPOC students.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Senators’ Wyden and Merkley for their commitment to assisting our students during these exceptional times,” said MHCC Dr. Lisa Skari. “These funds will allow us to provide much needed direct support to some of our most vulnerable students whose challenges were only magnified by the pandemic.”

Over the last year and a half, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused numerous hardships for many people in our community and faced us all with a variety of challenges. As the pandemic continues to evolve with COVID-19 variants, the money from the CARES Act will help MHCC prevent new challenges that may arise and help us to continue providing the best in support and education for our students.

To read more about this funding, please visit https://www.wyden.senate.gov.