Alabama REACH – Mission:
To provide a supportive environment for UA students who are current & former foster youth, orphans, emancipated minors, wards of the State, and homeless youth that allows them to successfully matriculate and graduate from college.
REACH Wish List and link to donation:
- Amazon Wish List – https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3692HZC7W8PKV?ref_=list_d_wl_lfu_nav_1
You can make donations to the wish list at any time.
The Faculty Senate has partnered with the Professional Staff Assembly and the Office, Clerical & Technical Staff Assembly to perform service projects for the Alabama REACH Program and for Brewer-Porch Children’s Center. An initial grant of $5,000 from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America was received in April, with a second grant of $2,000 received in July of this year.
The Alabama REACH Program aims to support and empower UA students who are current and former foster youth, orphans, emancipated minors, unaccompanied minors, those in kinship care, wards of the state, and homeless youth. The Program offers these students an accepting campus family environment and many support services including bi-monthly study sessions, a pantry and clothes closet, provides mentors, host families or sponsors, help with finding on-campus employment, summer internships and housing, and paying bills.
The Faculty Senate and Office, Clerical and Technical Staff Assembly have previously held holiday gift card drives for REACH students, and the Professional Staff Assembly has previously conducted holiday gift drives for Brewer-Porch residential program children. By combining forces, soliciting donations, and with the generous support provided by TIAA, we have been able to do much more for these worthy organizations.
On May 7, 2018, a Dead Week Dinner Event was held for the Alabama REACH students in Ferguson Student Center’s Anderson Room. Students and their mentors enjoyed a meal donated by Bama Dining. The students also received ‘cram bags’ of study week goodies donated by members of the three employee organizations, tote bags of essential toiletries and cleaning items donated by the First United Methodist Church, and $100 Visa gift cards purchased with TIAA funds.