SEATTLE -- As fans pour into downtown Seattle for the pomp and circumstance that All-Star Week brings, it’s important to note that the good vibes are not limited to Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic. On Friday morning, just 20 minutes up the road at Shoreline Community College, there was plenty to cheer about as well.
As part of this year’s All-Star Legacy Initiative, MLB and the Mariners partnered with the United Way of King County’s “Bridge to Finish” program and the Seattle Colleges Foundation to provide a big boost to the area’s historically underserved community college students.
The investment provided a complete revamp and restock of Shoreline’s Benefits Hub, which provides students with a free food pantry, emergency housing assistance and personal care items such as toiletries, clothing, bedding and school supplies. The Initiative also established a scholarship program to help students overcome financial challenges.
“The environment is becoming more and more challenging for students in terms of the cost of living and access to needed resources to be a successful college student,” said Dr. Jack Kahn, president of Shoreline Community College. “… This program offers aid to thousands of students across the Benefits Hub Food Pantry, providing them with emergency aid funding meals, transportation and/or housing assistance, all in service of removing barriers to continuing education and degree attainment.”
This year marked the 27th year of MLB’s All-Star Legacy Initiative. In that time, Major League Baseball and host clubs have donated more than $100 million toward these projects and national charitable partners.
This year’s recipients were well-deserved. According to United Way Benefits Hub manager Emily Portillo, six out of 10 community college students do not complete their degree, and 50 percent of students in Washington state have basic-needs insecurity.
“While there are many resources to address academics and tuition, there are far fewer to help address hunger and homelessness in our community. And so, that's where [Benefits Hub] fits in,” Portillo said. “[The Initiative’s] support and generosity are strengthening our workforce and helping build a community where people have homes, students graduate and families are financially stable.”
Shoreline student Kiara Rombah moved many in the crowd with her testimony to the Hub’s effectiveness, speaking of her emigration from Ivory Coast, West Africa, and the challenges it posed. Rombah, the first in her family to attend college, said she was grateful her school had resources for her to lean on.
“In my story, I was miraculously saved by the Benefits Hub,” she said. “… Benefits Hub is not just a name, it’s the story of many students who find hope. It is the refuge of many students while lost in the realities of a life they just discovered. Benefits Hub is a house of peace and security for all.”
The Mariners pledged $100,000 in emergency cash assistance associated with the Hub, and $500,000 through the Seattle Colleges Foundation to be used for scholarships.
Perhaps the biggest exemplification of the importance of community college on Friday came from Mariners executive vice president Fred Rivera, who began his post-secondary education at a two-year institution.
“The purpose of the MLB Legacy All-Star projects is to leave a lasting impact and leave our region that hosts these games and these events just a little bit better than it was before the games arrived,” he said, “and what better investment can there be [than] to invest in our students?
“… But for community college, I don't think I would have ever gone to college at all. And so, it's very personal to me, I know the value and couldn't be more proud to be a part of this investment.”
Shoreline, which opened in 1964, serves approximately 9,000 students each year and has one of the only Tesla training programs in the country, as well as an international program that features students from 64 countries.
The All-Star Legacy Initiative’s work in Seattle this year will ensure that Shoreline and “scores” of area college students will receive support they need to stick to their academic and professional dreams, said Seattle Colleges Foundation CEO Kerry Howell.
“These programs do bring together community,” Rivera added. “They are investments that will make our community a better place, where everyone has an opportunity to thrive, and they will leave a lasting legacy.”