For many students, a short-term financial crisis can have long-term impacts. "Life happens" situations, from flat tires to apartment fires, can make or break a student's semester and, sometimes, even derail their entire college experience. These challenges have been compounded during the pandemic, with many students and their family members losing jobs and experiencing limited access to other community supports. The NSCC Foundation's Helping Hand Fund exists to provide emergency financial assistance in exactly these situations. We know that many of our students do not complete their studies due to competing life priorities, and we want to make sure that moments of financial crisis dont put students in the difficult position of choosing between basic needs and higher education.