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About Fast Fund MATC
At Fast Fund we are dedicated to providing immediate and essential support to MATC students facing unexpected financial crises. Our mission is rooted in compassion, resilience, and a deep understanding of the challenges that arise during life's most critical moments. Through our emergency grant program, we strive to bridge the gap between hardship and hope, offering a lifeline of financial assistance that helps people navigate their most difficult times.
Our Mission
Fast Fund MATC's mission is to provide Milwaukee Area Technical College students experiencing financial emergencies with rapid financial support and to promote public and MATC policies on issues impacting MATC students so they can remain enrolled and achieve academic success.
The Challenges We Address
An alarming 20% of MATC students experience homelessness each year, and nearly 50% face food insecurity. Although most MATC students work, they are often employed in low-wage, part-time jobs. Consequently, almost 70% qualify for Pell Grants. When Pell Grants were first established, they covered 100% of the cost of attending a two-year college like MATC. Today, they cover barely 60%. Students facing layoffs, reduced work hours, or unexpected expenses such as car repairs struggle to stay enrolled. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges.
Our Impact
Last year, the FAST Fund assisted 2,451 students, a 47% increase from the previous year's 1,664. We provide essential support such as housing, food, gas cards, textbooks, eyeglasses, diapers, utility payments, childcare, and car repair bills. Additionally, we supplied 796 students with laptops, books, and paid their exam fees.
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