The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges and hardships for many over the past few months. For some, they may have been laid off or furloughed from their job. Others may have experienced health challenges personally or through a loved one. In short, many were left wondering how they make ends meet as the pandemic took hold in our country back in March.

Thankfully, on March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law. The CARES Act provides for over two trillion dollars in economic relief. This money is in place to help protect Americans from the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) was also created under the CARES Act. The HEERF is designed to provide education stabilization funds designated exclusively for emergency financial aid grants to students.

Dorsey Schools, a trusted name in career training and education here in Michigan is among the institutions that received funds under the CARES Act that could be issued to students in the form of emergency grants. Students attending Dorsey Schools could apply for these emergency funds to be used towards expenses. Examples of expenses may include those related to their education, course materials, technology, food, housing, healthcare, childcare, or expenses incurred due to job loss or being furloughed. Dorsey Schools plans to issue over $2,000,000 in emergency financial aid grants to students across its various campus locations, under the CARES Act. “Many of us have had to deal with some sort of impact from the effects of COVID-19,” commented John Barnes, President and CEO of Dorsey Schools. “These grants were a much needed resource for many of our students who may have experienced hardships due to the pandemic.” Barnes went on to explain, “Our students already make sacrifices in their personal and family lives when they make the decision to go back to school to pursue a new career. When you add on top of that the impacts of a global pandemic, it has the potential of creating roadblocks and hardships for our students. These grants allow our students to alleviate some of those concerns so they may continue their training and put them closer towards pursuing their newly chosen career.” As of August 21, 2020, $1,787,800 has already been issued to Dorsey Schools’ students under the HEERF. For additional information, or to learn more about the funds Dorsey Schools has dispersed to students under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), you may visit https://www.dorsey.edu/heerf/.