The “Helping the Homeless Students Associate Group” will host their sixth annual fundraiser featuring a silent auction, an opportunity drawing, and student testimonials on Sunday in an effort to help LBCC’s homeless students.
The purpose of the event is to raise money and awareness for students who are struggling with housing and food insecurities.
One of the coordinators for the event is Dr. Virginia Baxter, an LBCC Board of Trustees member, who is also active in numerous Long Beach organizations and has a history of helping students in need.
In the midst of the pandemic, many students found themselves unemployed and unable to pay rent.
“Many people lost their jobs and even with the eviction moratorium, some people still got evicted and lost their homes,” said Baxter.
All of the event’s proceeds will be used to help pay for students’ basic needs such as rent, groceries, gas cards, school supplies, emergency housing and more.
Also helping with the event is Jeffrey Sabol, a professor and librarian at LBCC. Sabol wishes to help students achieve their goals, no matter the circumstances.
“The main goal of this foundation is to keep (the students) in school and keep them progressing in their education while they overcome life changing obstacles,” said Sabol.
Aside from raising money, another key part of the fundraiser is the student testimonials, where those who have benefitted from the foundation’s help in the past have a chance to show their gratitude toward the donors.
“The money is secondary, but coming to the event and seeing people that we’ve helped really inspires people to go out and do more,”said Sabol.
Even with much awareness being raised, the stigma surrounding these students still exists. Baxter claims that these students are far beyond this stigma because they are determined to achieve a brighter future.
“A lot of people think that these homeless students are either drug addicts or mentally ill. But if they were, they wouldn’t be going to school trying to better their lives,” said Baxter.
If interested in attending this fundraiser or donating directly, click here.