Kankakee Community College is distributing a more than $633,000 in federal aid to current students for costs incurred on or after March 13, 2020, when the president declared a national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF II) may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
“KCC students who were enrolled during the Spring 2021, or who are registered for the upcoming Summer or Fall 2021 semesters, are eligible to apply for CRRSAA funds,” said Dr. Jose da Silva, KCC vice president for student affairs. “To be eligible, students don’t have to already be receiving financial aid. For those who do receive financial aid, receiving CRRSAA funds will not affect that money.”
Funding is available for credit division students, as well as non-credit, dual enrollment, and continuing education students. Students who are qualified aliens are also eligible.
“In order to help the students who both want and need additional aid, the process includes an application and a demonstration of need,” da Silva said. “Amounts given will vary by student based on their individual need and financial strain.”
“It will take up to two weeks to determine eligibility, process requests, print and send checks,” said Michelle Hasik, KCC director of financial aid.
For more information and to access the CRRSAA application, please visit the KCC Financial Aid website at www.kcc.edu/tuition-and-aid.
The funding is not available to select groups, according to the relief fund guidelines. The ineligible groups include international and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students. These students can apply for Emergency Funding from the KCC Foundation. More information is available by email from finaid@kcc.edu or phone 815-802-8550.
The HEERF II is authorized by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, Public Law 116-260, signed into law on Dec. 27, 2020. The CRRSAA authorizes $81.88 billion in support for education, in addition to the $30.75 billion provided last spring through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Public Law 116-136. Each college has authority to develop its own process for allocating the funds.
Each class is a live event. Within 24 hours of the webinar, participants will receive an email with a link to the session. Internet access and an email address are required.