30 Apr Redoubling Our Support

Dear Friends,

10,000 Degrees wants you to know that we are staying positive, strong, and together. 

Little did we know that COVID-19 would be the true test of the strength of our Fellowship program. Our Fellows, near peer mentors and recent college graduates, have become the go-to trusted source for thousands of Bay Area students from low-income backgrounds. This crisis has emphasized just how much these relationships matter. Our Fellows make a deep impact on our students—serving as their critical link to education and reaching their hearts and minds, even in times of great distress.

We know the college success journey for students from low-income backgrounds and communities of color is rife with obstacles both now and historically. Today’s situation exacerbates the systemic inequities and marginalization to profound levels. Many students and their families are doing everything they can to survive poverty, and now, COVID-19. And without their usual routines and on-campus support systems, they’re feeling isolated, alone, and like their college degree is even more out of reach.

At 10,000 Degrees, our Fellows are providing all of the support, guidance, and resources to keep our students connected to and engaged with their education. And our promise is a college degree. To this end:

• Our Fellows quickly mobilized within 48 hours of school closures, redoubling their support by converting to virtual platforms.
• We are hosting online learning sessions and making step-by-step tutorials for students, plus wellness programming to help them cope.
• By collaborating with school partners and community organizations, we are increasing student support and connecting them to vital resources for education, food, housing, Internet, mental health support, disaster relief funds, unemployment insurance, and more.
• We moved our high school and college summer bridge programs from campus to online.
• We extended scholarship application deadlines and expedited $2 million in scholarship funds to provide immediate emergency financial relief.
• We are assisting high school seniors and more than 2,200 college students with contingency planning for the coming fall semester.
• Our Board of Directors launched a special campaign to raise additional funds to help students through the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 has rocked our world. While we don’t yet know all that will change because of it, we do know this:
Education is imperative —it is the foundation of a just and equitable society. And now, more than ever, postsecondary education is essential to our economic recovery, and to the healing and reshaping of our communities and the nation.  

Our Fellowship program works. The valued, trusted, and enduring relationships our Fellows establish with students has made it possible for us to be the critical link to their education and other resources during these challenging times. 

This is why 10,000 Degrees is seeking support to expand our Fellowship program throughout the Bay Area. For every Fellow we embed on a high school or college campus, the student reach and impact is exponential. You can count on us. We will always be there for our students—now and throughout their college journey.

You can support them too.

Thank you for all of your support, especially during these difficult and uncertain times. We know we will get through this, together

Thank you for all of your support, especially during these difficult and uncertain times. We know we will get through this, together.

With gratitude,