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KXCV-KRNW


News Brief

May 9, 2019 |  By: Lily Lopez

Grant awarded to Catholic Charities to support low-income college students

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph was recently awarded a $1.2 million grant to provide comprehensive case management to low-income community college students. The Stay the Course program aims to combat the high dropout rate among community college students. Research on the past six years of enrollment in a community college, only 39% of students had earned a degree or certificate while a full 42% had dropped out altogether. Coupled with the fact that disadvantaged students are already three times less likely to complete college than those on a more solid economic footing, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Kevin Murphy says programs like Stay the Course are critical.

"Anything can come up, especially when a person has a low income or is on the border of being of low income.  Something can come up and derail that person and take him off course."

Murphy says that the grant and program aims not only to impact immediate needs, but also to have a life long impact.

"To offset poverty at its very root, so to be able to say, 'hey, I'm going to make sure to stay with this program', and this program is that important. Serve the clients' immediate need whatever that is; whatever that anxiety or burden is.  Relieve it for them and then lift them to the dignity of self-reliance.  That's what the heart of this program is all about."

For more information about the program, contact Christie Dade at 816-659-8216 or email cdade@ccharities.com.