Jabs Emergency Fund
Due to high volume of requests for funds, we are prioritizing students facing immediate food and/or housing insecurity and course materials/books at this time.
Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do you have a friend or classmate who is struggling financially?
The mission of the Jabs Emergency Fund (JEF) is to provide emergency relief to students in need.
You may be facing financial hardship and consequently tough choices with increasing frequency during the pandemic. These may be related to food insecurity, unreliable transportation, financial shortages, an inability to cover the cost of educational materials, and the inability to cover unexpected emergencies.
We know it’s impossible to focus on schoolwork when you are worried about money or where your next meal is coming from.
To supplement financial aid, scholarships, and existing resources (see list below), our College can provide some emergency relief through the following:
- Assistance covering the cost of books or course materials
- Assistance with unexpected/emergency expenses such as food, gas, rent, utilities, childcare, transportation, etc.
- Technology loaner program(laptops, etc.)
In addition to the Jabs Emergency Fund, we encourage you to utilize the many campus resources in place to maximize relief. Please review the resources below to see if any are a good fit for you.
- Bounty of the Bridger’s (BOB) on-campus food pantry provides free groceries: http://www.montana.edu/oha/bounty-of-the-bridgers.html
- Food Insecurity Scholarships – semester’s worth of meal passes for on-campus dining halls: https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3eF3V1xIzSwvHSJ
- Technology available to check-out through MSU Library: https://www.lib.montana.edu/request/tech-checkouts/
- Laptops, iPads, GoPros, cameras, projectors, calculators, and miscellaneous computer equipment (mice, webcams, flash drives, adaptors, etc.)
- MSU Financial Aid: https://www.montana.edu/financialaid/
- Bridge Loan Program – small sum, short-term loan; 3 days processing time; https://www.montana.edu/financialaid/info-guide-2021.html
- Book Loan – advance on existing loans for buying books at MSU Bookstore before refund checks are distributed; money is put on CatCard and may only be used for books.
- FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa (priority deadline for AY 2021-2020 = Dec 1, 2020)
- MSU & Jabs Scholarships: https://montana.academicworks.com/ - application open Nov 1-Feb 1 each year; awards for following academic year
- Cengage Unlimited – course materials for many Jabs & MSU courses
- 14 days free access to Cengage Unlimited for every semester – cannot be extended
- Student Emergency Fund (CAREs): https://www.montana.edu/studentsuccess/divisionresources/bac/studentemergencyfund_vpss/index.html
- Limited funding to help cover qualifying and unexpected/emergency costs related to pandemic (e.g. food, housing, course materials, childcare, transportation, health care, and/or a person or family illness.
- Office of Financial Education (AYCSS) – educational resources for money management, financial planning, understanding financial aid/how to pay for college: http://www.montana.edu/aycss/financialedu/
- Counseling and Psychological Services - mental health support to help students navigate challenging times. https://www.montana.edu/counseling/index.html
If you or someone you know needs support, please complete the form below. Students may complete the form themselves or be nominated by another student, faculty, or staff member.
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