--- title: UMD Community Raises Over $162K for Student Crisis Fund date: 2020-03-30T21:52:00-04:00 author: Hafsa Siddiqi canonical_url: "https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/news-releases/umd-community-raises-over-162k-student-crisis-fund" section: News Releases --- News Releases # UMD Community Raises Over $162K for Student Crisis Fund Alumni, faculty, staff and more come together to raise over $162K since launching a public campaign on March 25 March 30, 2020 ## Contacts Hafsa Siddiqi: • [ 301.405.4671 ](tel:3014054671) In a time of crisis, the University of Maryland community—alumni, faculty, staff and more—came together to lend a helping hand to students struggling financially as a result of the unprecedented hit from COVID-19, raising over $162,000 since launching a campaign for the University’s Student Crisis Fund on March 25. The UMD Student Crisis Fund provides immediate assistance to any student who faces an unanticipated emergency financial need. In a typical week, the Division of Student Affairs fields two to five applications from students seeking emergency funds. With the COVID-19 pandemic causing many Maryland students to be hit hard by the campus disruptions, the Division is now averaging 70 desperate requests a day, with a record 231 flooding the office on March 20, as students seek help to continue their education and maintain their living arrangements. From March 11 to 24, the Division distributed $240,000 to close to 700 students representing every college and school. With the Fund nearly depleted, the public campaign has sought much-needed support from the Maryland community to replenish funds. The community answered and rose to the challenge. Since March 11, the university has distributed nearly $379,050 to 803 students. Aid is still needed for students during this difficult time. For more information on how students have been impacted, please read the latest on[ Maryland Today ](https://today.umd.edu/articles/helping-hand-need-helping-hand-a793b963-4bef-479b-9167-bef32de2b6af)and consider a donation by visiting [Giving to Maryland](https://giving.umd.edu/giving/showPage.php?name=crisis-funding&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=crisis_funding_links). Topics [ Alumni ](/news-releases?topic[]=alumni) [ Student Affairs ](/news-releases?topic[]=student-affairs) [ Student Life ](/news-releases?topic[]=student-life) [ COVID-19 ](/news-releases?topic[]=covid-19) [ Student Crisis Fund ](/news-releases?topic[]=student-crisis-fund) Colleges & Schools [ Division of Student Affairs ](/news-releases?unit[]=unit-division-of-student-affairs)