Cape Fear Community College helping students with families

Cape Fear Community College is lending a helping hand to some students who juggle more than just school work. College expenses can be tough to afford, especially if you are balancing school and supporting a family. That is where the Holiday Helpers program steps in.

Not only is Patrice Hamilton a full-time student at Cape Fear Community College, she is also a full-time mother of four. Armed with a gift card donated from area volunteers and businesses, she is shopping for some necessities.

“We decided we would go more with the things that we need at home. The necessities, the everyday things that we need and if we have anything left over, we will come out and enjoy things that we want,” said Hamilton.

For the past four years, Cape Fear Community College has brightened the season for needy students by providing them with grants to help pay for holiday expenses.

“Even though it’s a trying time for everybody, there are still people out there that have the heart to give. I just thank God, and I just hope that soon in the near future I will be the other person helping out another family,” Hamilton said.

Last year, thirty students got assistance from Cape Fear. This year, 65 students are being helped out with holiday related expenses. More than $4,000 was donated to Cape Fear to help with the program, which school officials say is needed more than ever.

Kay Warren, Cape Fear Community College Foundation Associate Director, said, “It’s just been great because so many of our students work full-time, or part-time, they have families, non-traditional students and they need the help at the holidays. This year especially as we all know with the economy being in the state it is.”

The amount of financial help given to students was determined by how large the family. School officials said more families applied to the Holiday Helpers program than ever before. The good thing is that the program received more local contributions to help.