Greetings!
It has been a great honor to lead A-B Tech through these extraordinary times. There has never been a better time to be proud to be an A-B Tech supporter. As our region and our nation deals with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I think it is safe to say we have all gained a greater appreciation of those among us whose work is essential- our frontline health care workers, our emergency responders, our manufacturers, our A-B Tech graduates.
The crisis has exacerbated the struggles many of our students face. Over the last month, there has been a sharp increase in requests for student emergency assistance. More than half were for rent and utility bills, and 31% were for grocery assistance. To put this in perspective, during the academic year 2019-20, only 11% of the requests for emergency funding were for rent and utilities. The applications for grocery assistance in a month is equal to the requests for the entire 2019-20 academic year. Until students can go back to work, and hopefully can find gainful employment, we anticipate the need for emergency funds to remain high.
Because of you, we raised $45,000 for the Student Emergency Fund in April. These resources helped Miles and many other students like him. Miles, an honor student at A-B Tech, lost his job as a server in a local restaurant last month. He and his wife each work several jobs to support their three children. Facing an uncertain financial future, Miles contemplated dropping out of his spring classes to try to find odd jobs to pay the rent. One of his instructors told him about the Jan and Dennis King Student Emergency Fund, and Miles was approved for emergency funds to help with his rent, thereby allowing him to focus on his spring classes and putting him closer to a May 2021 graduation.
One more reason to be a proud A-B Tech supporter is how quickly we reacted to COVID-19 to ensure as little disruption as possible in our instruction. Within two weeks most of A-B Tech's courses transitioned online. All of our student advising, counseling, and financial aid offices are operating virtually. Our entire way of operating and serving students has shifted and will continue at least through the summer term.
A-B Tech also proved that “community” is our middle name by donating critical Personal Protective Equipment to Buncombe and Madison Counties. Our EMS, Nursing Assistant, and Cosmetology programs provided 20,000 gloves, over 500 masks to support our first responders.
A-B Tech is doing all we can to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the health and well-being of our students, employees, and community. Inevitably, these new interventions will place a considerable strain on our resources, which is why we are turning to you, today. Will you make a gift to support A-B Tech?
Your support will allow us to meet the mission of A-B Tech to deliver quality education to enhance academic, workforce, and professional development at a time when the Foundation’s support is being called on at an unprecedented level. Your continued support provides opportunities for students, faculty and staff, every day.
With gratitude,
Dr. Joseph Barwick
Interim President
