Fresno City College students experiencing economic hardship can have some relief during the holiday season.

Hope for the Holidays, an FCC tradition for 20 years, helps provide needy students with a little something to celebrate. The tradition started when former Dr. Art Ellish, former FCC president, noticed that many students are in dire need and wanted to help them.

“We have a lot of students in need at FCC,” said Maile Glover of the Student Activities Center. “There are even students who are homeless.”

The goal of Hope for the Holidays is to encourage students continue with school despite economic hardships. Each year, the Student Activities office receives more than 300 nominations. From those 300, about 200 students who are currently experiencing hardship will receive a $50 gift card.

A former recipient who prefers to remain anonymous said she used the $50 gift card she received to feed her family.

Students can qualify to be nominated for the gifts if they are enrolled in at least two classes and are still students during the nomination and the distribution of the gift cards. Many recipients of the gift are single parents.

Instructors make announcements to notify students who may be struggling and encourage them to apply. However faculty is careful not to over announce because “Everyone would want to get the help, and it is very limited on who gets it,” Glover said.

Kathy Bonilla, public information officer for the college explained that Hope for the Holidays was done a little differently before.

“We used to buy laundry baskets and put food canned inside them,” Bonilla said. “But that took too long, and students had to form long lines to receive their baskets.”

The Student Activities office collects the money from faculty and staff as well as outside sources such as Save Mart.
“All departments are supportive each year. But we get great support from the sociology department,” said Glover.
Last year, the Student Activities office was able to get 280 gift cards, but only 240 were claimed. That means that 40 gift cards have rolled over to this year, but Glover expects that fewer cards will distributed this year.
“This year we’re looking into handing 200 gift cards,” she said.  The deadline to nominate a student is Nov. 16 by 3 p.m. Once the students are selected they will receive their gift cards on Dec. 6.

Glover said, “We encourage everyone who donated to support our students.”