COVID-19 touches every person on the planet, and it presents an opportunity to come together as a global community. Communities and organizations around the world will participate in Giving Tuesday Now, May 5, a global day of unity in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

Your friends and colleagues at the University of Tennessee Libraries invite you to participate in this international day of charitable giving by making a donation to UT’s Student Emergency Fund. 

The fund provides emergency assistance to UT students who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. For some UT students, this challenging time has meant the loss of income from a job they depended on, loss of access to technology to continue academic studies, and/or loss of basic needs such as healthcare or food security. 

More than 375 students have applied for assistance related to COVID-19 through the Student Emergency Fund. Student needs include technology (laptops and hotspots), food and grocery expenses, assistance to pay utilities, short term housing expenses, and other basic needs.

The Student Emergency Fund is administered through the Office of the Dean of Students and supported through VOLstarter, the university’s crowdfunding platform.

Plan now to make a gift on Tuesday, May 5, by visiting the Student Emergency Fund VOLstarter page. Pilot Company and First Horizon have given $20,000 in matching funds for Giving Tuesday Now. Donors can have their gifts matched (dollar for dollar), until that $20,000 is reached.