The funds are available to any University of Maryland student needing help due to the coronavirus crisis.

The University of Maryland’s Student Government Association (SGA) has announced it will free up more than $400,000 to help students with meals, textbooks, sanitary products, and other emergency needs due to the pandemic. The SGA is also setting aside funds to give students mental health training. 

The SGA is funded through a fee charged to full and part-time students each semester. Faced with a surplus of $410,249, the SGA decided the best use of the money would be to help students affected by the pandemic. A total of $300,000 will go to the existing student crisis fund, $5,000 to the emergency meal fund, $48,000 to supply bathrooms across campus with feminine hygiene supplies, $47,249 to the campus pantry, and $10,000 for mental health training. This is the first time the SGA has appropriated funds in this way.

“There is no doubt that these allocated funds will help many important student services on and off our campus for years to come,” said Patty Perillo, Vice President for Student Affairs. “Together with the university, the SGA is providing much-needed support and relief to our campus community during an unprecedented challenging season. This is an example of exceptional leadership.”

The student crisis fund provides grants to students for everything from textbooks to prescription medication. Students can apply for help by visiting the website and submitting an online application.

Students at the University of Maryland and colleges across the country have been impacted by the cancellation of in-person classes, sports, and on-campus jobs. Many students have also been stuck paying leases on apartments and campus housing they can’t utilize. The university also provides free mental health and academic counseling. 

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