HARRISBURG, Pa. – Students at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, who are facing food and housing insecurity or in need of clothing, will soon benefit from a $30,000 grant awarded to the HACC Foundation’s Fund for Excellence for CARE (Consultation, Advocacy, Referrals and Empowerment) from FirstEnergy Corp.
 
Because of this contribution, many current HACC students will be able to request assistance through HACC’s CARE Center, a free resource that is a single stop for nonacademic challenges, including food, housing and clothing. 
 
Support from donors like FirstEnergy allows students to be more focused on the high-quality education that HACC provides and less focused on the challenges that they may face outside of the classroom. With this assistance, students will be more likely to stay in school, complete their studies and graduate with a recognized credential leading to employment and future success.
 
John J. “Ski” Sygielski, MBA, Ed.D., HACC president and CEO, said, “In calendar year 2022, the CARE Center provided food, housing and clothing resources to 451 HACC students. This number, along with the national studies, proves why this generous donation is so impactful. Obstacles like these are real and can have a significant impact on our students’ health and studies. It is our responsibility as a community’s college to find ways to alleviate these stressors and provide resources to help students achieve their goals inside and outside of the classroom.”
 
“Many Pennsylvania communities continue to face significant hardship due to the pandemic and ongoing economic challenges,” said Lorna Wisham, FirstEnergy’s vice president of corporate affairs and community involvement. “We are pleased to provide HACC, which operates several campuses in our Met-Ed utility service area, with a grant to assist the college in its efforts to provide food, housing and clothing to students experiencing financial insecurities.”
 
The grant is part of FirstEnergy’s “Investing with Purpose” initiative developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which created health, financial and educational hardships for customers across FirstEnergy’s footprint, and in response to the events of 2020 that highlighted racial and social injustices impacting our nation.
 
To learn more about the HACC Foundation’s Fund for Excellence for CARE, please visit haccfoundation.org. 
 
About the HACC Foundation
The HACC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established in 1985 to raise private and corporate revenues in support of HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College. The HACC Foundation provides funding for student scholarships, innovative academic programs, state-of-the art training equipment and modernized facilities. To learn more about the HACC Foundation, please visit haccfoundation.org. To contribute to the HACC Foundation, please visit hacc.edu/GiveNow. 
 
About HACC
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is the first and largest of Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges. HACC offers approximately 100 career and transfer associate degree, certificate and diploma programs to approximately14,023 students. Also, the College serves students at its Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon and York campuses; through virtual learning; and via workforce development and continuing education training. For more information on how HACC is uniquely YOURS, visit hacc.edu. Also, follow us on Twitter (@HACC_info), follow us on Instagram (@HACC_edu), like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/HACC64) and use #HACCNews.
 
About FirstEnergy Corp.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.