January 12, 2022
The Capital One Community Impact and Investment Team recently awarded a grant to The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice to help college-bound North Philadelphia students meet their basic needs. In this new initiative, The Hope Center will train Steppingstone Scholars, a Philadelphia education non-profit, to assist students, including those in area high schools and Temple University students. Steppingstone supports Temple’s new Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program.
“As a proud part of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, our team is pleased to offer support to students throughout our hometown,” said Sara Goldrick-Rab, President and Founder of The Hope Center.
“Capital One is proud to support The Hope Center at Temple University and its efforts to develop effective, equitable, and impactful programming for college-bound, Philadelphia students while alleviating basic need insecurities. We are honored to contribute to the advancement of vital research, resources, and leadership development that the Hope Center for College continues to pursue,” said Nicole Pender, Senior Associate on Capital One’s Community Impact and Investment Team.
In the #RealCollegePHL™ 2021 report, the Hope Center found that over half of Philadelphia area college students experienced basic needs insecurity during the pandemic. Meeting students’ basic needs requires an ecosystem where multiple systems work together to support students. This initiative and new partnership seeks to both prevent basic needs insecurity as students transition to college and address it once students are enrolled.
“Steppingstone Scholars is laser-focused on creating pathways to college and the workforce for young men and women in Philadelphia,” said Steppingstone President Sean Vereen. “For our students to be successful in the classroom and in the workplace, we know they first must have their basic needs met. We are so grateful that The Hope Center, through this generous grant from Capital One, will be training our team in how best to assist our students.”