The Housatonic Community College Foundation announced today that it has received a $10,000 grant from KeyBank Foundation to respond to the economic security needs of students. For the fifth year in a row, KeyBank will support the college’s Family Economic Security Program (FESP).

Removing barriers to economic mobility in our community

The Housatonic Community College Foundation announced today that it has received a $10,000 grant from KeyBank Foundation to respond to the economic security needs of students. For the fifth year in a row, KeyBank will support the college’s Family Economic Security Program (FESP).

The FESP program helps approximately 50 low-income, single-mother students learn how to balance their educational and career goals, personal health, and well-being, and provides a significant boost to their positive trajectory toward degree completion.

Through bundled service offerings, students participating in the FESP program receive resources and tools to advance their education, career, and economic security. Achievement coaches provide academic, financial, and life counseling, while students participate in workshops and activities, and receive career counseling.

“One of KeyBank’s philanthropic focus areas is providing students with opportunities to prepare for fulfilling careers through access to high-quality education and support for their academic success,” said Bradley Hardy, KeyBank Middle Market Relationship Manager and member of the Housatonic Community College Foundation board. “HCC’s Family Economic Security Program is positively impacting student success and graduation rates, and we are proud to support it with both funding and by bringing financial literacy education to its students.”

FESP is a proven model of wrap-around intensive supports that helps students overcome barriers to persisting in their education. The one-year program equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive at Housatonic Community College (HCC) and into the workplace. Additionally, using a two-generation approach, the program normalizes higher education among all family members.

KeyBank also is the FESP financial literacy partner through their “Key@Work” financial wellness program, providing FESP students with the tools and resources they need to achieve long-term financial success. Key@Work is a complimentary financial education program offered to businesses as a workplace benefit for their employees. The program includes customized group and online financial education workshops, access to personal banking tools and services, and individual financial counseling

“I am very excited to be part of such a beneficial program while I am completing not only short-term but long-term goals when it comes to academia and my finances. I work full time and have a hard time making in-person meetings, so I love the ease of the online workshops,” said HCC student and FESP participant Courtney Csech.

“Students in FESP are juggling earning an income and raising children as single parents while striving to advance their education. We are grateful to KeyBank for their generous support of these impressive women determined to improve their station in life for their families,” said Kristy Jelenik, Housatonic Community College Foundation Executive Director.

About KeyBank Foundation: 

KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation’s mission is advanced through three funding priorities – neighbors, education, and workforce – and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp.

About KeyBank/KeyCorp
KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190.1 billion on September 30, 2022. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. 

About the Housatonic Community College Foundation

Founded in 1990 by a team of business and arts leaders from the greater Bridgeport community, the Housatonic Community College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that solicits, secures and manages contributions from the private sector through individuals, corporations and foundations for the benefit of HCC. The HCC Foundation increases student access and retention at HCC through scholarships, emergency funds, equity programs and much more.

About Housatonic Community College

Serving southern Connecticut for over 50 years, Housatonic Community College (HCC) offers a student-centered, high quality and accessible education through over 75 associate degree programs to prepare students for transfer to four-year institutions. The college also offers occupational associate degrees and certificate programs, and the non-credit division partners with local business and industry to offer workforce training and customized professional development. HCC is distinguished as an Achieving the Dream Leader Institution and is ranked by the Aspen Institute among the nation’s top 150 community colleges.

Housatonic Community College partner KeyBank provides a “Key@Work” financial wellness program for students.

Housatonic Community College partner KeyBank provides a “Key@Work” financial wellness program for students.