Believe in Students

Believe in Students College is a main route out of poverty, a cornerstone in the building of a great society, and the key hiring prerequisite of many employers.

Believe in Students is the nation’s only non-profit organization focused exclusively on supporting college students’ living expenses. || Empowering college students for success. || But far too many students are facing poverty during college, keeping them from completing degrees. Financial aid falls well short of today’s prices and many college students do not have their basic needs me

t: a place to live, good food to eat, transportation to and from school. At Believe in Students, we agree with researchers at Temple University: it’s time to stop being polite and get real about what this means for students and for all of us. This is . Believe in Students is the nation’s only non-profit organization focused exclusively on supporting college students’ living expenses. We develop and support innovative, sustainable and effective solutions that can scale to meet the widespread demands.

Education changes lives. We see it every day. At a time when the national conversation around higher education can feel ...
05/20/2026

Education changes lives. We see it every day.

At a time when the national conversation around higher education can feel uncertain or discouraging, our team at Believe in Students remains grounded in what matters most: ensuring students have the support and stability they need to keep moving toward the futures they deserve.

To celebrate this work, we are hosting An Evening of Recognition & Gratitude on June 9 at Gather Food Hall in Philadelphia. We will be honoring two college graduates whose drive and success inspire our work, Christina Hasaan and Ivonya Brown, and two people who believed in them and founded our work, Richard Binswanger and Sara Goldrick-Rab. We would love for you to join us! Here is what we have planned for the evening:
✨ A curated tasting experience with internationally inspired, chef-driven cuisine.
✨ Inspiring reflections from our leadership and recognition of our 2026 honorees.
✨ Interactive moments to connect, share stories, and build stronger partnerships for student success.

How to participate:
Join us in Philly! Purchase Individual or Group Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/an-evening-of-recognition-and-gratitude-individualgroup-tickets?blm_aid=0
Explore Sponsorship Opportunities: https://www.canva.com/design/DAHGZVWDy-g/gFcFMnUYxDqin5O7KGcjPQ/edit
Support from home: If you can't make it, you can still help us honor our guests and support student success by donating today: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/an-evening-of-recognition-and-gratitude-individualgroup-tickets?blm_aid=0

Sunday, May 17, marks , a day to celebrate academic achievement, hard-earned perseverance, and the transition from the ...
05/17/2026

Sunday, May 17, marks , a day to celebrate academic achievement, hard-earned perseverance, and the transition from the classroom to the professional world. However, for many students, academic talent alone isn't always enough to guarantee a seat at commencement.

Basic needs insecurity, including hunger, housing instability, and unexpected financial crises, remains one of the biggest barriers preventing students from completing college.

At Believe in Students, we work to change that. By providing critical emergency aid and advocating for basic needs security, we work to ensure that unexpected life circumstances don't derail a student’s academic journey. When we remove these barriers, we help clear the path to graduation.

Today, we celebrate not just the degree but the resilience it took to get there and the community that supported students along the way!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! Educators play a role that extends far past the classroom. They are mentors, advocates,...
05/07/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Educators play a role that extends far past the classroom. They are mentors, advocates, and essential partners in a student’s journey toward success. Because they work so closely with their students, they are often the first to recognize when someone is facing challenges that go beyond academic coursework.

At Believe in Students, we understand that students are best positioned to succeed academically when their basic needs are secure. Whether it is food insecurity, housing instability, or an unexpected emergency, teachers see the real-world challenges their students face every day. By investing in educators and strengthening the stability students rely on, we do more than support their presence in the classroom; we help sustain their momentum and expand what’s possible for their future.

We’re working toward a future where no student must choose between their education and their basic needs. Getting there takes all of us: educators who show up every day and a community that stands beside them. This week, we celebrate the teachers who are bringing that future within reach, one student at a time!
AFT

To our supporters and friends, we wanted to share a brief but important update as we prepare to announce some exciting m...
04/28/2026

To our supporters and friends, we wanted to share a brief but important update as we prepare to announce some exciting milestones in the days ahead.
Over the past several months, Believe in Students has been the target of an ongoing cyberattack. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated experience. Nonprofits across the country are facing a sharp increase in cybersecurity threats as more of our work, from fundraising to direct support, takes place online. It is a challenging reality for organizations working to serve others, and one we have been navigating with care.
As a result, you may have experienced intermittent difficulty accessing our main website or our Curriculum site, or you may have missed some of our usual email updates. In a small number of instances, misleading or deceptive messages may also have circulated that did not originate from our team. We regret any confusion this may have caused and take this matter very seriously.
Our response began with guidance from cybersecurity strategist, Velez, whose early insight helped ground our approach. With additional support from Futures, we were then able to partner with the fantastic team at Security to carry the work forward. Together, these efforts enabled us to take comprehensive steps to address the issue. At this point, our systems are stable and secure and continue to function as intended.
When you have a moment, we encourage you to check your spam or junk folders and mark any recent messages from Believe in Students as safe so you can continue receiving updates.
We are deeply grateful for your continued support and for the grace you have extended as we worked through this. We remain focused on the work ahead and look forward to sharing what is next!

National Volunteer Week (April 19–25) is a time to recognize the individuals who give their time, skills, and care to su...
04/20/2026

National Volunteer Week (April 19–25) is a time to recognize the individuals who give their time, skills, and care to support their local communities.

At Believe in Students, our FAST Fund leaders bring that spirit to life. These college faculty and staff, in addition to their full-time responsibilities, choose to show up for students in moments of uncertainty. They review requests for emergency support, respond quickly, and help ensure that support reaches students when it matters most. Because of them, barriers that might otherwise derail a semester can be addressed in real time.

This work happens every day, and while it never goes unnoticed, this week offers a moment to honor it more fully.

To our FAST Fund leaders, and to all who volunteer their time and expertise in service of others, thank you! Your leadership reflects what is possible when people come together with care and intention.

Today’s the day! Help us Fill the Funds! 🎉For 10 years, students have told us what they need. Together with our partners...
04/15/2026

Today’s the day! Help us Fill the Funds! 🎉
For 10 years, students have told us what they need. Together with our partners, we’ve believed them and responded. With your support today, we’re building toward the next 10.

Fill the Funds exists for the moments when an unmet need can easily shift a student's path. At the end of the day, this work is about understanding and responding to students as humans first, with timely support that helps them stay enrolled, persist, and complete their degrees.

We invite you to join us today! Donate at believeinstudents.org

Sometimes support goes beyond meeting a student’s needs. It can help them believe in themselves again. Today’s college s...
04/14/2026

Sometimes support goes beyond meeting a student’s needs. It can help them believe in themselves again.

Today’s college students are not who many people still assume. They are not only 18- to 21-year-olds living on campus. They are working, supporting families, raising children, commuting back and forth to campus, and balancing many other responsibilities while pursuing a degree. In those moments, the right support can make the difference between stopping out and staying on track.

Join us tomorrow for Fill the Funds to help ensure students have the support they need to keep believing in their academic goals and see them through to completion!
Donation link: believeinstudents.org

What actually causes students to leave college is not always what people think. Sometimes, it's not tuition. Not academi...
04/13/2026

What actually causes students to leave college is not always what people think. Sometimes, it's not tuition. Not academics. Not ability. For far too many students, it is the moment when everything is already stretched thin, and something else gives.

ICYMI: We shared this story a few weeks ago. As we look ahead to Fill the Funds on April 15, we are bringing it back because it offers a clear, first-hand look at what students are navigating and what it takes to keep them on track.

At Stony Brook University, Mandy Flanagan writes about what happens when traditional support falls short, and students are left to navigate impossible choices. The difference is not just financial support. It is how that support shows up. Quickly. Without barriers. Through people who already know and trust their students.

That is what makes the FAST Fund model work. When students tell us what they need, we should believe them. And we should be ready to respond in that moment.

Mandy’s article, As SNAP Runs Out, We Step In, offers a powerful look at what becomes possible when that happens. This is exactly what we’re working to sustain, and we hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, April 15!

Read the full piece in AFT Voices here:
https://aftvoices.org/as-snap-runs-out-we-step-in-b9b7a3ef251c

Nearly 60% of college students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity. While the focus tends to be on tu...
04/13/2026

Nearly 60% of college students experience at least one form of basic needs insecurity. While the focus tends to be on tuition, it is often the unexpected, smaller expenses, such as a professional licensing fee or emergency repairs, that put a degree at risk.
This is why the FAST (Faculty and Students Together) Fund is so vital. By providing rapid responses to real-time challenges, we ensure that students remain enrolled and focused on their futures.
We are officially preparing for our initiative on April 15th. Join us in strengthening this critical safety net for the next generation of professionals.

In higher education, perseverance is tested by more than coursework alone.For students nearing the finish line, a sudden...
04/09/2026

In higher education, perseverance is tested by more than coursework alone.
For students nearing the finish line, a sudden emergency can place years of hard work at risk in an instant.
The student behind this story was just two courses away from graduating when surgery and recovery left a substantial financial gap. This is where the FAST Fund serves its most critical purpose, providing timely and targeted support to ensure this temporary health emergency did not result in a permanent academic withdrawal.
When we show up in moments like this, we protect the significant investment these students have already made in their futures.
Looking ahead to April 15th, we invite you to join us for day. This annual initiative is how we expand our capacity to respond when life’s hardest moments collide with a student's most important milestones.
Your engagement ensures that the FAST Fund remains a steady source of support!
Donate at believeinstudents.org

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