UFV staff donating parking money to help students
Posted April 28, 2020 11:14 am.
Last Updated May 1, 2020 12:04 pm.
ABBOTSFORD (NEWS 1130) — A post-secondary school in B.C. is putting a new twist on a lucky roll in Monopoly when it comes to ‘Free Parking.’
“Somebody put up their hand and said, ‘We’re not parking here anymore. We’re working remotely. So why don’t we dedicate what we would have spent on parking to helping students,'” notes Dave Pinton, director of communications for the University of the Fraser Valley.
Close to 200 university staff who have been forced to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic have begun putting what they would have spent on parking at their respective campuses into a ‘community chest.’
Close to $4,000 has been raised, so far.
Students enrolled @goUFV struggling through #COVID19 to benefit from "Free Parking." Staff at Fraser Valley school creating "Community Chest" of parking fees to help students as BC waits to "Pass Go" through pandemic. @NEWS1130
— Paul James (小保) (@pjimmyradio) April 28, 2020
“It is administered through our financial aid office, and it’s dedicated to assisting our students who are experiencing urgent and serious financial difficulties,” says Pinton.
UFV says it expects the pool of cash to continue to grow as the work-at-home restrictions remain in place.
The donation pool isn’t being limited to UFV staff, with the university saying that other employees, alumni, and others in the community are also welcome ‘throw their money on the board.’ One can do so online: https://connect.ufv.ca/giving/donate
“This is a difficult time for everyone, especially for students navigating uncharted personal and educational challenges,” says Anita Nielsen, UFV’s executive director of advancement and alumni relations.
“We wanted to help, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everyone who continues stepping up and contributing to this important initiative. This idea was employee-based and really grew organically, which I think speaks volumes about how much UFV’s community cares about our students,” says a university statement.
The University of the Fraser Valley enrolls around 15,000 students a year at campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, and Hope.
