PLU Student Emergency Fund: COVID-19 Response

876
Donors
$288,495
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This campaign ended on September 01, 2020, but you can still make a gift to Pacific Lutheran University by clicking here!
About


Right now, PLU students are experiencing unexpected, urgent financial needs. If you’re able to help, please make your gift today.

The Student Emergency Fund was started in mid-March 2020 to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Within the first few weeks, hundreds of students have applied for assistance. Donations will go to as many PLU students as possible.

To help a student, please give what you can today. Your gift of any size will provide emergency funds to a student in need right now.

For more details about how these funds will be used, see the FAQs in the Updates section below.

Incentives
Encourage your friends and family to support the PLU Student Emergency Fund! When you generate $88 in gifts, those gifts will be matched with $88! That’s a $1 for $1 match!
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Help spread the word about PLU’s 8 Days of Caring. When you inspire 8 other people to give, an additional $100 gift will be made to the Student Emergency Fund!
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Updates
Thank you, caring Lutes!


Thank you! During 8 Days of Care at the end of May, over 100 additional Lutes came together to support students with emergency financial needs and to show #LutesCare. The support of the PLU community will continue to go directly to PLU students during summer term and into fall — as long as students still have emergency need because of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Because of you: 

  • Even more PLU students with urgent financial needs have access to financial support
  • Current PLU students and the newest PLU alumni — the class of 2020 — can connect with more alumni for care and support through LuteLink, PLU's online networking platform
  • Current and recently graduated students are feeling the care from your messages of encouragement

However you are continuing to care for PLU students during this critical time, thank you. 

1865 days ago by Andrea Michelbach
​Help! We need somebody. Help! Not just anybody! We need YOU!


Only 50 more donors are needed to reach the 8 Days of Caring goal. Will you encourage your friends and family to make a gift of any size to the PLU Student Emergency Fund? When you do, their gift will be MATCHED!

1869 days ago by Jayne Berglund
PLU alumni, have you signed up for LuteLink yet? It's just one more way to show #LutesCare!

PLU alumni, have you signed up for LuteLink yet? LuteLink is PLU’s online networking community through which you and the 40,000+ alumni Across the PLUniverse can come together to support students and recent graduates with mentoring and career advice. Plus, you can connect with other alumni who could do the same for you. Learn more at www.lutelink.plu.edu.

1870 days ago by Jayne Berglund
Thank you for your generous heart on #GivingTuesdayNow! 🖤💛


Over the course of GivingTuesdayNow, you and 212 other PLU alumni, parents, friends and employees added over $25,000 to the PLU Student Emergency Fund. Wow! Combined with the matching gifts, a total of $39,388 is now available to students who need emergency funding for groceries, rent, distance-learning costs and more.

Thank you for being part of this success! 

Earlier this week, 175 PLU students had been awarded emergency funding. Today — because of you — even more students can receive the help they need

As more caring community members join you in making a gift to the PLU Student Emergency Fund, aid will continue to go directly to students who have applied for help — until students no longer need emergency aid


Thank you for your generous heart and for your participation in GivingTuesdayNow!


1891 days ago by Jayne Berglund
#GivingTuesdayNow is happening… Will you be part of this special day?



Will you share your care and encouragement for PLU students facing challenges right now? You can post on the PLU Alumni & Friends Facebook page or upload a short video of yourself to this page. To upload your video, go to the Advocates tab and click on Upload Your Personal Plea.

Thank you for taking the time to support PLU students!

1892 days ago by Jayne Berglund
Get ready for #GivingTuesdayNow!




May 5 is #GivingTuesdayNow, a global response to the urgent needs caused by COVID-19. PLU is participating because PLU students are experiencing emergency financial hardship.


We know and understand that not everyone can give right now. Join us, if you can.


And if you can, you don’t have to wait. Your gift of any size before May 5 will be matched with $100 for PLU students in need right now. 


We hope you’ll join us on behalf of students for this global day of generosity.



1895 days ago by Jayne Berglund
PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED Supports PLU Students

PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED

PLU is excited to announce new support for the PLU Student Emergency Fund from PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED. Thank you! 


As the public health response to COVID-19 in Pierce County escalated, United Way of Pierce County (UWPC) and Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (GTCF) launched the PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED fund. PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED provides rapid response funding to the urgent needs and the disruption of basic human services to Pierce County’s most vulnerable populations due to COVID-19. With community input, initial funding has been prioritized for entities and organizations serving vulnerable populations and addressing one or more of the following issues: homelessness/ shelter, childcare gaps (for first responders, front line providers, and essential workers who need to go to their jobs), and food access. 


PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED's gift of $37,500 will provide additional support to PLU students facing emergency financial need right now. 
Please join us in expressing your gratitude for PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED and in continuing to encourage others to support PLU students during this time. 

1903 days ago by Jayne Berglund
PLU students could use some encouragement right now...


This is a challenging time for current PLU students — especially graduating seniors. To share a personal note of encouragement, head to the "Advocates" tab where you can upload a video of yourself. Here's how:

  1. From the Advocates tab, click on “Create your Personal Plea”.
  2. Log in or sign up for a GiveCampus account (be sure to select Pacific Lutheran University as your school). 
  3. Record a short video from your phone or computer.
  4. Upload your video.
  5. Share your video with your friends on social media using the hashtag #LutesCare.
1918 days ago by Jayne Berglund
PLU Student Emergency Fund: Frequently Asked Questions

Will my donation go directly to students? 

Yes, these funds will be disbursed in the form of a scholarship and will not be applied against any owing balances on a student’s account. Students must apply for emergency funding and funding will be distributed on a rolling basis beginning in April based on support available. As of right now, the maximum award is $750. 


What do students need the money for? 

Student needs are varied. Many emergency funding requests relate to lost jobs — students who have lost their job(s) and/or family members who lost their job(s) and who were supporting a student. In many cases, these wages were covering basic needs like rent. Other examples of need include: 

  • Food security. A student with children and an unemployed partner needs emergency funding to provide groceries for his family.
  • Access to learning. A student had previously been using the public library near her house for Internet access. With public libraries now closed, she needs emergency funding so she can pay for Internet access at home and keep up with her courses through distance-learning.
  • Reduced health risks. A student with a chronic medical condition feels trapped working despite his increased risk. He needs emergency funding so he can stop working temporarily and quarantine at home until his risk of contracting COVID-19 is reduced.


Won’t students receive unemployment benefits? 

PLU continues to closely monitor unemployment guidelines to support student workers. So far, most benefits still have an hours requirement, though some support has been extended to part-time workers because of COVID-19. Unfortunately, most students haven’t met the minimum hours requirement to receive unemployment benefits. For students who have met the requirement, the receipt of benefits is expected to be somewhat long because the system is so bogged down with a flood of requests.

For those who qualify, emergency funding provided by PLU donors will reach students much faster than unemployment benefits are expected to arrive. The emergency funding will also support students who do not qualify for unemployment benefits.


Which students will receive help?

As many students as possible. Student applications for emergency funding will be prioritized based on financial need and criteria including factors such as:

  • Job loss due to COVID-19
  • Family income
  • Unmet need
  • Remaining loan eligibility


How many students need emergency funding?

As of April 3, 287 PLU students had requested emergency funding. If each student were to receive the current maximum PLU aid of $750, the total emergency funding would be $215,250. Student need is expected to continue to increase.


How else is PLU supporting students during this time?

In addition to emergency financial assistance, PLU is:


How else can I support students during this time?

  • Reach out. Students are going through a difficult transition and grieving the spring semester they expected to have. Graduating seniors will miss out on commencement in May and are facing a working world that has dramatically shifted. Any PLU student you know would be grateful for a word of encouragement right now — whether via email, phone, text or video chat. 
  • Participate in the Check5 initiative. Check5 is a social media campaign with one simple goal: to remake a network among all displaced Lutes to help us care for and connect with each other during the coronavirus crisis and beyond. 
  • Sign up for LuteLink, if you’re a PLU alumna/us. LuteLink is an online networking platform where you can make yourself available for students who want to connect about mentoring and career guidance.


Where can I learn more?

For the latest updates, please visit the PLU COVID-19 website, which also includes messages to the PLU community

1918 days ago by Jayne Berglund
Donor Maps
Class LeaderboardThe Class Leaderboard reflects giving from Alumni, Students, Parents
AffiliationDonors$ Raised
19521$500
19531$100
19542$250
19551$50
19572$750
19585$1,150
19597$6,825
19602$325
19616$550
19627$5,675
19638$3,055
19644$1,828
19659$2,950
196610$1,835
19677$2,950
19683$225
196918$6,110
197013$2,225
19716$500
19727$2,050
19735$1,538
197416$2,500
19758$2,638
197612$8,008
19777$1,425
197811$988
19793$825
19806$550
19819$1,390
19826$888
198311$1,538
198412$6,113
19853$550
198611$2,259
198713$1,850
198813$2,075
198911$970
199012$3,460
199115$2,065
19929$1,108
19937$436
19946$833
19956$860
19966$310
19979$998
19989$896
19995$415
20006$630
200119$3,058
200211$2,058
20037$582
20047$800
20053$220
20068$1,108
200721$2,350
200815$1,953
20099$605
201011$1,075
201110$786
201211$828
201314$888
20145$580
20158$933
20162$100
201710$680
20187$525
20196$800
20206$400
202112$1,120
202214$1,983
202315$2,133
20242$120
20311$50
Donor Affiliations
Gradhat icon60%Alumni
Book icon2%Students
Parent icon20%Parents
Suitcase icon5%Faculty/Staff
Friends icon6%Friends
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